Ashland Theological Seminary a Project of Discovering the Elements of Belonging at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio

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ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

A PROJECT OF DISCOVERING THE ELEMENTS OF BELONGING AT MT. OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH, COLUMBUS, OHIO

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO

THE FACULITY OF ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

YVETTE SARAH WEAVER

ASHLAND, OHIO

MARCH 3, 2021

The Disciples of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

and

In loving memory of The Reverend Dr. Charles Edward Booth

Dear God

It feels so good to make it this far, and I didn't think I could take it so long.

There were days I wanted to quit, I said surely this is it but I held on. And

I watched as so-called friends turn and walk away, it hurt so much I didn't have words to say. But even when my day turns to night and nothing seems just right

Lord, I thank You for, for my life. For my life, Lord, I thank You, for every victory in You I've seen and all the moments I know it was You who kept me, so I thank

You for, for my life. And I watched you take my family from there to here and when times were a little rough, God, I know You were near. And the moments I thought I'd fail, I was reminded of your nails, so I held on.

And if I never live to see another day, there is nothing' I would change or take away, I've had so many ups that they far outweigh my downs Lord, I thank

You for my life. I realized some didn't make it, I could've been one of the ones who lost my way and there were times, Lord, I knew I almost went crazy but I'm still here with my life. For my life, Lord, I thank You for every victory in You I've seen and all the moments I know it was You who kept me so I thank You for, for my life. It may not be all that I hope for and every dream has not yet been realized and to see Your face one day, God I know it's all going to be worth it, so

I thank You, thank You for every mountain, every valley God, everything' You brought me through, thank You! I know, I know it was You God, I just want to take the time to say thank You Jesus, for my life.

Smokie Norful

APPROVAL PAGE

Accepted by the faculty and the final demonstration examining committee of Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

______Academic Advisor Date

______Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program Date

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this project was to discover the elements of belonging to

God and within Christian community for disciples of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, in the city of Columbus, Ohio. The assessment survey tool contained demographic information, thirty-two Likert scale questions, and four open ended questions.

The results of the survey revealed that prayer, reading the Bible, observance of the Lord’s supper and baptism as the elements that contributed to the participants’ sense of belonging to God and Christian community.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………… vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………. viii

Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT OVERVIEW ………… 1

2. BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL

FOUNDATIONS …………………………………………… 25

3. REVIEW OF LITERATURE …………………………….... 61

4. DESIGN, PROCEDURE, AND ASSESSMENT ………… 101

5. REPORTING THE RESULTS ……………………………. 112

6. SUMMARY AND REFLECTIONS ……………………….. 140

Appendix

PROPOSAL ……………………………………………………. . . 169

ASSESSMENT TOOL ………………………………………… 197

COVER PAGE ………………………………….………………. . . 202

REFERENCES ………………………………………………… 203

vii

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

Table 1. Goal #1: Elements that Influence Belonging in Christian Community ……………………………………………………………….. 113

Table 2. Goal #3: Elements that Influence Belonging to God …………..116

Table 3. Goal #7: Influence of Preaching to Belonging in Christian Community ………………………………………………………………. 118

Table 4. Goal #4: Influence of Financial Contributions to Belonging in Christian Community …………………………………………………… 120

Table 5. Goal #2: Faith’s Impact on Sense of Belonging to God …..…..123

Table 6. Goal #5: Participation in Church Ministry Contributes to a Sense of Belonging in Christian Community ………………………… 126

Table 7. Goal #8: Influence of Receiving Assistance During a Crisis to Belonging in Christian Community …………………………. 129

Table 8. Goal #6: Influence of Relationship with Pastor to Belonging in Christian Community …………………………………... 132

viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Ephesians 3:20 states, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” Thank you Lord, for allowing your power to work through me. Thanks, to my parents

Dorothy and Fred Blackmon who believed from my birth, that God was going to do something special with my life. Thank you to the disciples of The Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church who completed the Belonging Survey and the late Reverend Dr.

Charles Edward Booth, who taught me the immeasurable value of prayer, dedicated study, and uncompromising integrity; with God’s help, my hands will remain on the plow. Thanks to Bishop Jerome H. Ross, Dr. I.T. Bradley and the

Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church where I first experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and acknowledged my call to the preaching ministry.

Special thanks to Dr. Deborah Dennis my forever mentor, Dr. Charlene

Watkins, Marcella Rogers, Eleanor Young, Francis Pugh and my editor Gwen

Rogers. Thanks to Rev. Donald Bean for his spiritual insight. Thanks to Starlett

Hylton, Trina Hazley and the late Faye Peyton who encouraged me to be my authentic self. Special thanks to Dr. Dawn Morton and Dr. Thomas Gilmore who encouraged me by their Godly examples of faith and prayer. I am indebted to my children Thomas (Sarah), Fredrick Weaver, and granddaughter, Hope Ali.

Lastly, I thank God for my soulmate of thirty-four years, Thomas Lee

Weaver. You have encouraged my every dream and loved me unconditionally.

Thank you for your sacrifice, patience, and always reminding me to enjoy the journey. You have always been my protector and inspiration, I love you dearly.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT OVERVIEW

Come Thou Fount

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy Help I’m come; and I hope, by thy good Pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood;

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

The original text of the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

Come Thou Fountain, is a sacred hymn and song of praise that held great significance to me as I completed this project. More importantly, it has been my constant reminder that whether sinner or saint all human creation belongs to

God. Therefore, throughout our Christian sojourn we must remain confident that nothing or no one can snatch us out of the powerful hands of God our creator.

As, His beloved, we were fashioned in His image and likeness to live in harmony with all mankind. Stephen Seamands, the author of Ministry in the

Image of God suggests our being is “therefore being-in-relationship…relatedness to others is two-dimensional: vertical (relatedness to God) and horizontal

(relatedness to other humans and the rest of creation)” (Seamands 2005, 35).

Therefore, our belongingness is reliant upon our relationship with God and one another. As the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in relationship one belonging to the other, we too belong in community and are one with God.

Purpose Statement and Research Question

The purpose of this project was to discover the elements that influence participants' sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who are disciples of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio.

For consistency, the research question was revised to: What elements influence the sense of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are disciples of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, in Columbus, Ohio.

Overview

My contentment and gratitude to God for leading me to Mt. Olivet inspired me to implement a discovery project focusing on one of the core longing deficits entitled, belonging. Thus, the primary focus of this project was to discover the elements that influenced members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church to feel that they belonged to God and in Christian community. Belonging is knowing who we are and choosing where we want to be.

Specifically, the project was designed to probe how faith, relationship with the pastor, and participation in various ministries within the church influenced or contributed to feelings of belonging. Consequently, each participant completed a survey that consisted of five demographic, thirty-two quantitative and four qualitative questions.

Just as we are confident by faith of our relationship and belongingness to

God, we similarly should be able to experience a sense of belonging in Christian community. Overall, this project sought to assess what elements contributed to members feeling they belonged to God and in Christian community. The results from this discovery project are insightful to developing creative ways to engage and sustain disciples for ministry that will advance the kingdom of God.

Foundations

From the beginning of my existence and awareness of my ability to be an independent thinker, I have always felt the need to belong and counted amongst those in the in-crowd. In high school, I wanted to be a majorette because they were the popular girls who marched in front of the band. Although I made the squad, we moved and I was forced to change schools. Upon graduation, I attended college and endeavored to join a sorority, but was not accepted.

The church was one of few places where I felt I was accepted and doing the will of God. Consequently, as a Christian, I was always willing to do whatever

I was asked to advance the kingdom of God. However, when I acknowledged my call to the preaching ministry of God, my sense of belonging in Christian community where I had served for thirty-six years changed. The following

3 foundations will unpack my struggle to belong and God’s grace that eventually planted me in a Baptist Church where I thrived and regained my sense of belonging in Christian community.

This project of discovery is composed of five critical foundations. The first foundation embodies my personal journey as a novice minister of the gospel, which depicts my unrelenting faith in God who has guided this undertaking.

Secondly, the biblical foundation will examine the plight of the hemorrhaging woman whose narrative is intertwined with the raising of Jarius’ only daughter.

The third foundation includes the theological perspective, which will probe the significance of faith, suffering, and healing. Lastly, the historical foundation will explore the challenges endured by African-Americans as they sought to belong in

Christian community during slavery through the second awakening.

The biblical, theological, and historical foundations collectively drove the research and information contained in the literature review. Each foundation, added to the successful implementation and significance of the project findings.

Personal Foundation

After several years of denial, I acknowledged that God called me to a deeper level of service in His kingdom. Upon accepting my call into ministry, the need to belong and feel significant became an unquenchable thirst. As a result, I suffered severely in Christian community. For 36 years, I was a tithing and active member of a large Baptist church. Although I served faithfully to the ministry, giving of my time, talent, and financial sustenance, the pastor did not support or encourage my development as a minister of the gospel.

It appeared that I was always good enough to cook, host special events in my home at our expense and upon his request; but I was never called upon to preach, teach, or lead in any meaningful way where ministry was concerned. Had

I allowed myself to be misused in the name of Jesus? The feeling of not belonging, not being a part of the chosen few became my reality. Why didn’t I belong? What else could I have done to prove that I was good enough to serve in other capacities? I desperately wanted to belong, however, the person I regarded as my father in ministry rejected me, just as my biological father had done when I was born.

I whole heartedly believed that if I planted financial seeds of faith, the Lord would miraculously heal my brokenness and restore my empty soul. I wanted to be free from the shame of being born out of wedlock, I wanted to feel the joy of fellowshipping with other believers and female ministers, but there was no joy for me. More importantly, I believed that I had demonstrated my faithfulness to this congregation and was praying that the pastor would support me like he had done other ministers of the church. However, it became obvious that my tenure had ended and if I desired to thrive in Christian community, the Holy Spirit would have to be my guide. By faith, I had to believe that God would lead me to a place where I would belong.

While completing my doctoral courses at Ashland, I learned about core longing deficits. According to Halley, the core longing “belonging” rests in the palm of God’s hand and signifies being home and in a welcomed place with God.

Belonging is when I come to the realization of who I am and the certainty that I

5 belong to God. It is the place of protection, safety, and hope that is only found in

God (Halley 2016, 4). The position of this core longing is very significant as the

Holy Scriptures reminds us that no one, including Satan, can snatch me out of the Lord’s powerful hand (John 10:27-30).

When we recall the creation story, Adam and Eve enjoyed the splendor of being loved by God in the garden Eden. They were one with each other and God, until sin drove them out. Halley suggests, “the concept of feeling loved, secure, understood, significant and purposeful as well as having a sense of belonging, came from the direct experience of God’s presence as it enabled them to have harmonious, selfless relationships” (Halley 2016, 12). It is natural to expect that when we join with other believers our experience of harmony and sense of belonging heightens because we are in fellowship with other disciples of Christ.

This is not always the case, especially if the fellowship is not Christ centered and

Christ driven. The cross should be central and lead to Jesus, not the pastor or prosperity of the leadership.

A critical part of my personal journey included my doctoral studies at

Ashland Theological Seminary and visiting the Mt. Olivet Baptist church, both were instrumental to my spiritual development and maturity. The formational counseling curriculum coupled with the preaching and teaching I received at Mt.

Olivet healed my brokenness and fulfilled my need to belong. I found a safe place to meet God and fellowship in Christian community. After joining Mt. Olivet in 2017, Pastor Booth invited me to attend the ministerial meetings with the other ministers of the church.

The monthly pastoral meetings were designed to enhance the preaching, integrity, and individual ministry of the ministers licensed by the pastor of the church. Prior to attending my first meeting, I was encouraged to read several books: Certain Sound of the Trumpet, and Jesus and the Disinherited. Booth was an avid reader and recommended books to better equip us for servicing God’s people. He encouraged daily devotion, reading the Bible, and fasting to draw one closer to God and better equip us for ministry.

Currently, I am a humble disciple and licensed minister of Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church, because the pastor challenged me to be my best for God. Not for fame, fortune, and money; but to help wounded souls like mine fine wholeness in

God. It was my faith in God and the spiritual direction from the pastor that lead me to a place where I could declare God’s word and stand in my truth.

In looking back over my spiritual sojourn to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church and all the obstacles I overcame to arrive at my wealthy place of belonging, I know that God made it possible. I kept the faith and believed that if I continued to trust

God my longing to belong in Christian community would be fulfilled. Jesus said,

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 (NKJV). Because I have found my sense of belonging in

Christ, my life’s mission is to be the vessel of hope that assures others they belong to Christ and can thrive in a Christ centered Christian community.

In the next section, I will introduce the biblical foundation which I believe best substantiates this project. It is my belief that God used my desire to belong in Christian community to strengthen my faith. Upon the completion of the

7 project, I can certainty testify that there are untold blessings abiding in God and within Christian community.

Biblical Foundation

The foundational narrative for this project can be found in Matthew 9:18-

22, Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48. For the purpose of this project Luke 43-48 will serve as the primary narrative and Mark 5:25-34 will be the secondary biblical source. Both evangelists provide a poignant and captivating description of Jesus’ willingness to address the emergent health crisis of the only daughter of Jarius, a synagogue ruler. Camouflaged in the crowd that day was a women who has been bleeding for twelve years. However, no one was aware that she was in the crowd until Jesus asked the question “Who touched me? (Luke 8:45).

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who have been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloths, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out of me. When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (Luke 8:45 NRSV). (Unless noted all scripture will be taken from the New Revised Standard Version).

Luke, the Physician is known for permeating the life and teachings of Jesus in an orderly fashion. In this passage of scripture, Jesus is perceived as the Master over sickness and death and pressed his way through a crowd to save the only

12-year-old daughter of Jairus, a synagogue ruler (Culpepper 1995, 189).

The Bible vividly conveys the excitement of the crowd as they welcomed

Jesus. Timothy Johnson suggests, “Luke connects his stories and reminds the reader of the positive response engendered by the prophet among the Galilean populace” (Johnson 1991, 141). It appears that the crowd was anticipating Jesus to perform another miracle and moved in great expectation towards the home of

Jairus.

As Jesus maneuvers through the crowd an audacious and destitute woman interrupts His journey (Luke 8:43). Unlike Jairus, the woman is not identified by her name or societal status within the religious community, instead she is identified by her gender and illness. The woman has been sick and suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. According to Jewish customs she was considered an outcast and banned from the temple, restricted from gathering in public settings, and touching others due to her contamination.

Consequently, she was required to distance herself socially from her family and religious community.

Everything she touched, sat on, and came in contact with was contaminated. She did not belong and no one was permitted to associate with her. Her situation worsened within the religious community because she was classified as unclean analogous with a leper. Having to pronounce oneself as being unclean brought about shame and feelings of being cursed. According to

Jeffrey John, “menstruation was taken to be the result of God’s “curse” on Even found in Genesis 3:16. The Levitical rule laid down that a woman remained unclean for the whole period of discharge-however long it lasted” (John 2001,

101). This underprivileged woman endured 12 years of suffering that equated to

4,380 days of defilement and isolation.

To complicate her situation further, she was economically impoverished and had an illness that was incurable. Luke 43b states, “no one could heal her,” this would have included physicians and magicians. However, Mark 5:26, the evangelist recorded “she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse”

(NIV). There was not relief or cure for her infirmity. She was desperate and has tried every remedy to be healed, but has not been successful. Her only alternative was to exercise faith in Jesus.

Therefore, the hemorrhaging woman plots a plan to gain relief from her

12-year plague as recorded in Mark 5:27-28 which states, “She had heard about

Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said,

“If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” When Mark records the woman has heard the reports about Jesus, this indicates that she has heard about His power to heal as did the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7:25 (Guelich 1982,

297). Thus, the woman moved by faith, not to touch Him directly, but to touch the fringe of His cloak. She believed what was attached to Jesus could heal her.

Hagner suggests, “It will suffice to touch the garment of this very special person.

This strategy may well have been dictated by her ritual uncleanness and her sense of the holiness of Jesus as a divinely empowered healer” (Hagner 1993,

248). The woman experienced a private healing in a public setting. Without

10 question, Jesus was divine, unlike any man, healer, or physician she had ever encountered.

One touch of faith to the tassel of Jesus’ garment, rendered an immediate stoppage of her hemorrhage. The reports were true as recorded in Mark 6:56,

“And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.” When she turned away to flee, no one in the crowd knew of her stealth touch but Jesus. Jesus felt the power to heal when it left His body, and asked the question Who touched me?

What an odd question to ask, with so many people pressing upon the Master.

Upon the denial of everyone including the woman, Peter one of Jesus’ most vocal disciples, told the Master it was impossible to determine who had touched Him because the crowd was pressing in on Him. However, Jesus was aware of the woman’s touch of faith and confirmed His knowledge of being touched. According to Culpepper, “By demanding a personal confrontation with the woman, Jesus was not seeking to shame or embarrass her but to recognize her faith and offer her his blessings” (Culpepper 1995, 191).

The woman could not deny that she touched Jesus, neither could she deny her flow of blood had staunched immediately. What would be the repercussion of touching Jesus? Would she be stoned to death, or rebuked for spreading her disease? Waiting for Jesus’ reaction, she exposes herself as the one who had touched Him and falls at his feet. The woman displayed faith by

11 touching Jesus, and was healed immediately. Waiting for Jesus’ response she hears words that welcomed her back into the community of faith.

Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace” (Luke

8:48). Before the waiting crowd, Jesus restored the woman back into the religious community, and she experienced a sense of belonging. The woman’s faith in Jesus had restored her back into the religious community and His blessings of peace are meant to follow her throughout her life time. Green said,

“Her faith, tested by the boundaries of ritual purity legitimated by community sanctions, is genuine. Its authenticity is manifest in her willingness to cross the barriers of acceptable behavior in order to obtain salvation” (Green 1997, 349).

This Bible narrative affirms, Jesus is a healer and Master over sickness and death.

The next section will examine theological constructs such as faith, suffering and salvation as these theological subjects support the elements to belonging to God and Christian community.

Theological Foundation

Theologians and scholars such as Ronald Hals, John Calvin, and Donald

Bloesch have contributed on the integration themes of faith, suffering, and salvation. We will discuss these themes in the theological foundation of the project.

Faith

As Christians, we must remember that it is essential to have faith in order to please God, (Hebrews 11:6). James Dunn, defines faith as:

trust in, reliance on, but basically is an expression of confidence in the object of trust…trust includes a recognition and affirmation of the trustworthiness of the one trusted, the stability and security of believing (faith) as predicated on the stability and reliability (faithfulness) of the one relied on. (Dunn 2007, 408)

Thus, from a theological perspective, faith can be described as a constant belief, hope and trust in God. Moreover, it is essentially to believe a spiritual power beyond human existence and to be totally dependent upon a power greater than yourself. It therefore, is a state of total surrender to the all-powerful God and

Creator of the universe.

Ronald Hals, author of Grace and Faith in the Old Testament suggests, that “faith is our grateful response to our gracious God, and praise is the natural from in which faith confessed and in which this gratitude finds expression” (Hals

1980, 18). When the bleeding woman recognized that she has been healed, with humility she fell at the feet of Jesus. Her grateful response was an act of worship and indicated her gratefulness and acknowledged that Jesus was the Master over sickness and disease. Jesus then called her daughter! He restored her back to the community and pronounced “shalom” peace. Therefore, she experienced belonging to God and her religious community.

John Calvin, was quoted as saying “Faith is not a naked or frigid awareness of Christ, but a living and real experience of his power, which produces confidence” (Bloesch 2007, 17). The bleeding woman according to St.

Mark heard the reports of the healing power Jesus possessed and acts upon what she had heard. She is an excellent example of one who believed in Jesus and had confidence that she would experience healing. She had tried everything

13 possible and was desperate after suffering for 12 long years. Her suffering produced the confidence needed to touch His garment and by faith she received healing.

Suffering

Robert Kolb, wrote, “God also tests faith and strengthens it when the faithful find his presence while bearing the burdens…suffering can involve a variety of ills that befall the believer, including sickness and misfortune of various kinds” (Kolb 2012, 115). We may never know or understand why God allows suffering, but it is essential that regardless of what we experience we hold fast to our faith. God is faithful, and will provide us with grace to withstand and endure any hardship. The woman suffered for 12 years, but she did not give up hope that she would eventually be healed.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, also lived a life filled with suffering. He stated, “A

Christian has then no other choice but to act, to suffer and --- if it has to be --- to die” (Bonhoeffer 1959, 23). Bonhoeffer, never believed that he suffered alone, he was confident that God, himself shared in his suffering.

Salvation

Flora Keshgegian concludes suffering is entwined with salvation, “The remedy for suffering is therefore found in the salvation offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ” (Clarkra and Russell 1996, 279).

Salvation is the priceless gift from God through Jesus Christ, so that the Lord’s will is fulfilled in the earth. Jesus, the humble Christ bled for the sins of the world, but was raised by the omnipotent power of God.

The bleeding woman was poor after spending her substance on cures that did not work, however, one touch from that which was attached to Jesus healed her and secured her salvation. This was the purpose of God’s redemptive plan and affirms that we belong to Him.

The next foundation section will discuss what historically has occurred in the African American church since slavery. Specifically, we will explore the significance of the Black Church experience connected to belonging in Christian community during the first and second Great Awakening periods.

Historical Foundation

The historical foundation will provide a cursory review of Black religious practices during slavery through the first and second Great Awakening. We will also review how the Black Church emerged during great suffering to provide a sense of belonging and became the foundational institution of faith and freedom.

Slavery was a brutal and unjust system that uprooted my ancestors from their native land and their God. However, even as slaves we belonged to God.

Many slave owners felt if they taught the slaves about Christianity they would be better servants. Troy and McCall the authors of The Black Christian Experience stated, “It was a general feeling among the English that the closer to servitude that the slave was kept, the more useful he would be as a laborer; therefore, little concern was given for his spiritual needs” (McCall 1972, 18). Hence, Christianity was the plot the men from England used to make the slaves more loyal and subservient. There was no concern about their soul, their belonging to God, and being made in God’s image. The main thrust was financial gain at the expense

15 of African enslavement. To many the slaves were disposable property, used at the will of the whip and their master. However, there were those who did have a change of heart and religious leaders began to deliberate about the negro have a soul. During this spiritual movement known as the Great Awakening, slave owners permitted their slaves to join their worship service.

The two entities that emerged and were successful in leading spiritual rebirth in America during the early 1700’s was the Society for Promoting

Christian Knowledge (SCK) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

Along with men such as William Tennent Sr., George Whitefield, and Jonathan

Edwards church meetings were revolutionized. During this Great Awakening period slaves were permitted to join their owners in the worship experience, because the Englander’s agreed to permit slaves to participate in evangelistic activities (McCall 1972, 21).

A sense of religious freedom began to occur when some Christian slave owners taught their slaves to read certain passages of the Bible. Ephesians 6:5,

“Slaves, obey your master” was a recurring verse the slave owners would teach the slaves. However, it was through forbidden reading of the Bible that they learned the story of Moses and believed that freedom would eventually come

(Mitchell 2004, 16). God created within us the need for acceptance, and hope as

He did the children of Israel. The more they read the more they dreamed of being free.

Throughout history, the plight of the African-American to be free has culminated in a variety of ways as highlighted by Lincoln and Mamiya,

During slavery it meant release from bondage; after emancipation it meant the right to be educated, to be employed . . . . In the twentieth century freedom means social, political, and economic justice . . . from the very beginning of the black experience in American . . . . freedom has always meant the absence of any restraint which might compromise one’s responsibility to God. (Lincoln and Mamiya 1990, 4)

Freedom for many persons of color has been found within the confines of the

Black church because, they disregarded the title of boy and girl, and were recognized as a part of the church family and called one another brother and sister.

It was during the Great Awakening period that several “Black Moses” arose to lead black people to freedom. Those most noted were Nat Turner,

Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who lead the civil rights movement along with countless others. African-Americans can be thankful for the Great Awakening movement in religious history, because this period was instrumental in the separation of blacks from the white worship experience. Many worship traditions such as enthusiastic singing, hand clapping, shouting, and spirit-filled praise were demonstrated in the Black church. A true sense of belonging to God and community arose as a result of blacks separating themselves from worshipping with their white owners.

During the second movement, a religious faith that catered to the spiritual and immediate social needs of the Negro emerged. Booth suggests,

The revival or evangelical spirit of the awakenings provided a religious and spiritual climate for the slave to press towards liberation. The evangelical fervor of this period was the see bed from which would spring that “invisible institution” that would grow in the years to come and become that powerful vehicle known as the “Black Church.” (Booth 2000, 49)

The merger between freed slaves and those emancipated resulted in social restructuring of the Negro and the Black Church. The Black Church became the social control agent. This restructuring materialized in three significant areas; namely, economic cooperation, education, and political socialization (Lincoln

1974, 39).

In the Contemporary Foundation section, we will discuss the importance of the ministry of The Holy Spirit in healing wounds. The work of Terry Wardle,

Charles Booth, Stephen Seamands, and several others was used to discuss

Formational Prayer, the Structures of Inner Healing model and spiritual direction.

These tools and principles further strengthen the goals of the project which is to discover the elements of belonging in Christian community.

Contemporary Foundation

Terry Wardle, defined Formational Prayer as, “a model of care that opens the way for the Holy Spirit to move through a gifted caregiver, touching a broken person where he or she most needs release and transformation” (Wardle 2001,

13). Thus, the primary focus of formational prayer is for a wounded person to receive healing by the Holy Spirit. In 2 Corinthians 3:17 we are reminded “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (NIV)

Therefore, freedom for the believer can only be found in the presence of God.

The Formational Counselor must allow themselves to be used by the Holy Spirit in order for wounds to be touched and healed in the presence of Jesus.

Wardle has broaden the understanding that wounds have their origin in unmet core longings. When wounds are not properly healed they can lead to a

18 person feeling the need to hide or engage in unhealthy behavior to temporarily satisfy their internal turmoil. Charles E. Booth suggests, “If you want to trace your brokenness, you must locate your unhealed hurts, identify your unmet needs, and confess your unresolved issues” (Booth 2014, 106). Wounds and brokenness is a reality of life, however, through Formational Prayer and Spiritual

Direction exercises, people can experience healing and wholeness.

The Structures of Inner Healing model is an excellent tool that can be used by the Formational Counselor when working with those who have wounds and core longing deficits such as belonging. The woman with the issue of blood suffered many wounding’s socially, emotionally, spiritually and was treated as one who did not belong in the religious community of her time. She was destitute and unclean by Jewish laws; due to her life situation, was in need of inner healing. The following depicts each facet of the model,

A Life Situation can lead to …. A Dysfunctional Behavior, which can lead to …. Emotional Upheaval, which can lead to …. Lies, Distortions, and False Beliefs, which leads to …. Wounds. (Wardle 2001, 137)

When reviewing this model, it is important to recognize that there is a cause and effect relationship between each phase. For all intents and purposes, a wounded person will eventually believe lies that will affect their perception and cause emotional feelings of not being good enough that most often will lead to dysfunctional behaviors and unfortunate life situations.

Wardle suggests, “Once the healing process has begun, a person experiences an entirely new cause and effect relationship relative to their wounds” as show below,

A Wound can be healed with Truth …. Truth can lead to Peace and Comfort …. Peace and Comfort can lead to Empowered Living …. Empowered Living can lead to A Restored Life Situation. (Wardle 2001, 192)

One of the most important guiding principles of Formational Counseling is that the counselor must always remember not to rely on their own strength and talent.

The work of healing wounds is essentially the work of the Holy Spirit. Stephen

Seamands supports and agrees with this principle, “The ministry into which we have entered is the ministry of Jesus Christ” (Seamands 2005, 9-10).

Formational counseling, is thus a ministry of healing that is Christ centered and reliant upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

The contemporary foundation supported the themes identified in the biblical, theological, and historical sections of this project.

Context

The preferred survey participants were members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist

Church in Columbus, Ohio who varied in age, length of membership and involvement within the church. Mt. Olivet is a very vibrant and active church in the Black community. To date, there are more than 1,200 members with over 25 ministries and outreach programs designed to develop disciples for Christ.

The church has always engaged in community activities that are geared towards those who are not disciples of Mt. Olivet. Thus, it was important to substantiate why members felt that they belonged in Christian community within this particular body of Christ.

Project Goals

The purpose of this project was to discover the elements that influence participants’ sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who are disciples of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio.

The goals for this discovery project were:

1. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging

in Christian community.

2. To discover how faith impacts participants’ sense of belonging to God.

3. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging

to God.

4. To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in

Christian community.

5. To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of

belonging in Christian community.

6. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is

influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church.

7. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging to God is influenced by

the pastor’s preaching.

8. To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during

a crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community.

Design, Procedure, and Assessment

The design of the project required the development and assessment of a survey. The survey contained five demographics, four qualitative, and thirty-two quantitative questions that utilized a 7-point Likert scale which ranged from

7-very strongly agree to 1-very strongly disagree, with a midrange of 4-agree and disagree equally. The Likert scale measured the participants level of agreement regarding the questions that assessed the project goals.

Personal Goals

My personal goals were also personal prayer requests. I desired to experience the joy and sense of belonging in Christian community. In addition, my faith needed to be strengthened as I was being guided by the Holy Spirit through my course work at Ashland and fellowship with the Mt. Olivet Baptist

Church. Throughout my dissertation work and spiritual journey my two personal goals were:

1. To gain a closer relationship with God through spiritual disciplines for a

better understanding of His plan for me regarding inner healing ministry.

2. To become a more consistent reader of God’s Word to experience a better

understanding of faith.

Through the dissertation process, I accomplished the aforementioned goals by becoming an active member of a Christ Centered church. I also engaged in spiritual disciplines such as fasting, praying, and ready daily meditations. To increase my faith and sense of belonging to God, I engaged in personal time of meditation, prayer, and reading my Bible.

Definition of Terms

Belonging – A home place, feeling of being with, welcomed, being without fear of loss. Being able to trust and feel love, and live within the community of God

(Haley 2009, 4).

Core Longings – God’s original design for humanity to feel, desire and experience love, security, understanding, purpose, significance and belonging.

The absence of these create intolerable longing to which the brain and body responds (Haley 2009, 10).

Faith – Belief in that which has no tangible proof. It may mean simple trust in

God or in the Word of God, and at other times faith almost becomes equivalent to active obedience (Elwell and Comfort 2001, 471).

Formational Prayer- The process of helping a broken person meet Christ in the pain-filled wounds of the past in order to set them free from the lies, distress, and dysfunctional behaviors that are keeping them in bondage (Wardle 2007, 15).

Inner healing prayer- A ministry of the Holy Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver, bringing the Healing Presence of Jesus Christ into the place of pain and brokenness within a wounded person (Wardle 2001, 13).

Plan of Paper

This project revealed what influenced disciples of the Mt. Olivet Baptist church to join this Christ centered ministry. Specifically, the project identified what elements made members feel that they belonged to God and in Christian community.

The dissertation will include the following Chapters:

• Chapter Two: biblical, historical, and theological foundations

• Chapter Three: a review of contemporary literature

• Chapter Four: a detailed description of the method, procedure, and design

of the project

• Chapter Five: results of the survey

• Chapter Six: a final chapter that will reflect on the findings as it applies to

ministry

The choices made by an individual irrespective of their faith can either enhance or diminish their sense of belonging. This project will discover the impact of faith and what influenced participants sense of belonging to God and in

Christian community. In the following section, Chapter Two, will contain the biblical, theological, and historical foundations that supported this project.

CHAPTER TWO

BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS

The assurance of belonging in Christian community is one of the most joyful experiences by which people can receive acceptance and the Savior’s love through humankind. Just as God the Father, enjoys communion and glad relationship with God the Son and Holy Spirit, we too as His beloved children can thrive when we are certain that we belong to Him and the Christian community to which we attach ourselves. Once a person accepts Christ as their Savior, the one who rescues them from the penalty of sin, they are no longer their own but belong to Him totally; mind, body, and soul. However, sometimes there are challenges that prevent people from experiencing a sense of belonging in

Christian community.

The passion for this project emerged from personal experiences which birthed concerns for those who endure pain, rejection, and wounding within the body of Christ. The feelings of being overlooked or not being good enough to serve within the local church can contribute to a person being bruised emotionally and spiritually. This occurs when people endeavor to fit into religious communities that do not value or accept the God given gifts they have to offer.

Most Christians desire a church home and faith community where they feel safe, loved, and wanted. This project seeks to discover those elements that influence a sense of belonging to God and the Christian community.

With certainty, we are assured that God is love. God is the faithful friend to people who are wounded and subsequently lose their way. God is the good shepherd who will leave the ninety-nine sheep for the faintest cry of one of His lost sheep. Therefore, a sense of belonging to God and Christian community is an evolving journey and testimony of one’s personal faith! This work focuses on the integration of suffering, faith, salvation, and the healing power of Jesus.

The purpose of Chapter Two is to present the biblical, theological, and historical foundations that supports this discovery project. This chapter which consist of three foundations will bring to light those themes that influences a sense of belonging to God and in Christian community. There are multiple elements that can contribute to one’s sense of belonging. Therefore, Chapter

Two will underscore the influence of faith as each foundation is presented.

The biblical foundation will review the healing story of the woman with a hemorrhage as told primarily by Luke, the physician and Mark. Luke, one of the synoptic evangelists, is known for writing an orderly account regarding the many things the Lord said and accomplished (Luke 8:43-48). Mark’s gospel is the foundational source for Luke’s gospel and discloses many details omitted by

Luke. This biblical narrative of divine healing is intertwined with the story of

Jairus’ only daughter (Mark 5:25-34), which continues the over-arching theme of the need for faith in hopeless and desperate situations. The scriptures and scholarly references used in the biblical foundation will address societal norms and religious practices encountered by the woman who was excluded by her family, friends, and religious community.

The theological foundation will further probe what theologians have written on the themes of faith, suffering, and salvation. The theological understanding of these three elements are critical to the biblical story of the hemorrhaging woman and her quest to be healed. These theological principles build upon the understanding of being made whole and further supports what it means to belong to God and in Christian community.

Chapter Two concludes with the historical foundation. This foundation will observe the significance of how African-American’s have gained a sense of belonging in the Black church since slavery through the first and second Great

Awakening. An examination of how some African-Americans have experienced religious freedom and the impact of faith within the Black Christian community will be discussed.

Biblical Foundation

No sooner do we believe that God loves us there is an impulse to believe that He does so, not because He is love, but because we are intrinsically lovable. C.S. Lewis

Sometimes, the weight and struggles of life can lead a person to believe that they are alone in this world forced to face dilemmas without the support of anyone who cares. The feelings of being abandoned, forgotten, unloved, and disconnected from God and the Christian community sometimes surfaces when people suffer and endure unexplainable hardships that are beyond their understanding or control. There are also times when people experience the feelings of being unworthy of God’s love and the love of others due to the

27 heaviness of their sins and indiscretions. The mental battle and struggle of defeat plagues their souls with despair, when faith is absent or beyond their comprehension. This void often leaves people feeling dejected, and they subconsciously distance themselves from others and subsequently God. When these unfortunate experiences occur, God’s people have lost their sense of belonging to Him and community.

During these instances of detachment, it is imperative to remember that

God is faithful and loves us unconditionally, as recorded in the eighth chapter of

Romans, regardless of how sinful or unlovable we think we are or how we appear to others. God’s word is infallible, there is nothing that can ever separate us from

His love.

The foundational biblical story is Luke 8:43-48, which depicts the framing story of the resuscitation of Jairus’ daughter with the inserted narrative of the healing of an anonymous woman who suffered twelve years from a persistent bleeding disorder. Her story of isolation, endurance and faith will bring to light elements that cultivate a sense of belonging to God and within Christian community.

Luke and Mark provide a captivating visualization of Jesus’ willingness to address the emergent health crisis of the only daughter of Jairus. No one noticed that the woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years was in the crowd until Jesus asked the question who touched me? Both Luke 8:40 and Mark 5:21 mention the great crowd of people that anxiously awaited Jesus upon His return. Why was the crowd so excited to see Jesus?

The Crowd and the Unnoticed

The crowd welcomes Jesus with great expectation. According to Bovon,

“In Jewish eschatology one “awaits” the Messiah (7:19-20), and in Luke’s time

Christians are awaiting his Parousia (2 Peter 3:12-14) . . . the crowd’s reception is thus connected with joy” (Bovon 2002, 336).

As the crowd and ensuing gathering of spectators moved in great expectation towards the home of Jairus, Craddock’s observation alerts the reader of the crowd’s expectation,

the crowd that welcomes Jesus does so sincerely, but is unaware of the unclean woman, and is interested in Jesus healing a dying girl but not raising a dead one . . . the woman crossed the ritual barriers by being in the crowd. (Craddock 1990, 119)

The crowd welcomes Jesus because they are anticipating another miracle. Their primary focus was the dying girl and another opportunity to witness the power of

Jesus. Although Luke does not disclose the nature of the girl’s illness, he assures the reader that despite the press of the crowd, Jesus was deliberately focused on bringing healing, and wholeness to the person in need (Culpepper 1995, 191).

The woman in the crowd was unnoticed by everyone, until Jesus said who touched me? How was it possible for her to go unnoticed in the press of the crowd? For her, the crowd presented both an opportunity and impediment to get to Jesus. In essence, the crowd concealed her presence and camouflaged her condition on that day, but the pressing of the people upon Jesus made approaching Him difficult. She went unnoticed because no one expected her to be present. Being in the crowd and approaching Jesus in her present condition of

“uncleanness” was not acceptable behavior and punishable by stoning to death

(Adeyemo 2006, 1220).

The woman who interrupted Jesus was considered an outcast because she was deemed unclean by the Levitical laws that governed the community and temple. Edward enlightens us by sharing, “a menstruating woman and whoever touched her---was banished from the community until purification . . . the temple was closed to women during their menstruation indicates that this particular

Torah ruling was enforced in Jesus’ day” (Edwards 2015, 255). Her bleeding exceeded the normal menstruation period making her ritually unclean.

The Bible confirms that the chronic vaginal bleeding that plagued this unnamed woman would have prohibited contact and socialization with her family, friends, and community,

If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. (Leviticus 15:25-27)

Reid said, “the purpose of the Levitical laws was to ensure the holiness of the community by delineating boundaries between clean and unclean” (Reid 1996,

142). Being separated from her home and synagogue for twelve years completely diminished her sense of belonging to God and the religious community. It was impossible for her to “experience God when the law of her religious tradition defined her as unholy” (Reid 1996, 139).

Green delineates this point by explaining, “These codes concern proper ordering, regulating “what and who belong when and where” and in what condition, and thus they enable people in a society to know when order is being maintained and when something is out of place” (Green 2013, 142). The woman was out of place due to her uncleanness. Therefore, according to the law she could not belong to God or the religious community until she was considered clean through ritual practices.

The Jewish community placed great emphasis on the purity laws which governed “clean” and “unclean”. Her continuous bleeding disorder made her virtually an outcast (Williams 1984, 90). Craddock agrees with Green and explains, “the law was clear; in her own home, in society, and at the synagogue she was an outsider” (Craddock 1990, 119). Women were generally considered the property of their father, husband, or son. Unlike Jarius’ daughter, this woman was alone without anyone to speak on her behalf, she was possibly divorced or abandoned by her husband (Kinukawa 1994, 42). Just being a woman in

Palestinian society deemed her as one of relatively low status, but her perpetual state of impurity, forbid her from going to the temple or participating in any religious activities. (Green 1997, 346).

Selvidge further explains, “a Jewish woman was restricted from holding a central place in cult activities due to her biologic processes. Blood made her ceremonially unclean and therefore she was excluded from any contact with the

Divine” (Selvidge 1990, 87). Her uncleanness necessitated a disruption between her, her family, community, and God. The separation was established and

31 enforced by the Torah rules that governed the temple and community. Her belongingness was predicated on religious practices, rituals, and barriers sustained by the Levitical laws. For twelve years the woman suffered alone and at the hands of many physicians. The number twelve is significant because it illustrates the length of her suffering and exclusion from God and her religious community (Love 2002, 91).

Luke 8:43 unequivocally substantiates “no one” could heal her after twelve years of suffering although many had tried. Green suggests, “Whether her doctors had been the celebrated physicians whose exorbitant fees made them accessible only to the elite or the quacks that exploited members of a naïve and needy public, the outcome was the same” (Green 1997, 347). She exhausted all of her finances on consultations with physicians and folk healers in hopes of seeking a cure. The outcome was the same, “no one” could heal her and her financial security was depleted. Life for her was very lonely and difficult. She experienced significant wounding socially, spiritually, and financially. Kinukawa, suggests, “She wants her disease to be cured so that her sickness may be healed; she wants to be culticly saved and to be restored to wholeness in her society” (Kinukawa 1994, 42).

Mark 5:26 records, “She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse”. The use of the words “endured much by many physicians” strongly implies that her disease was incurable by human intervention, and illuminates the extent to which she has suffered. According to Selvidge, “she is not only physically

32 oppressed because of her disease, but is socially oppressed because of the lack of insight and ineptitude of the physicians” (Selvidge 1990, 84). Mark, therefore confirms that no one could heal her, and that her situation became worse because of the poor and varied treatment she received from physicians.

Since there was no mention of the woman’s husband, one scholar assumed that she was the victim of money-seeking healers, or managed her own estate poorly (Selvidge 1990, 85). Donahue and Harrington echo the dire state and hopelessness of her condition, by stating “she is physically ill, ritually unclean, and near impoverishment. Neither religion nor social standing offers her much help” (Donahue and Harrington 2002, 174). The woman’s health, financial and spiritual condition suffered greatly. More importantly, the persistent hemorrhaging over the course of twelve years would have eventually lead to her death (Donahue and Harrington 2002, 174). Green, Donahue, and Harrington conclude that she was desperate and needed divine intervention.

Healing for her would only be possible through the power of Jesus. All other attempts did not materialize. Garland adds, “Their failure underscores that

Jesus can succeed when other sources of healing have failed, and it costs nothing except a bold faith” (Garland 1996, 220). Her bold faith in Jesus’ ability to heal did not concentrate on what was (her current condition), but rather it focused on and was only concerned with what would be (her future condition).

Bold faith is an immediate reaction that causes one to think beyond limitations and depend upon the supernatural power of God that resides in Jesus.

Bold Faith Leads to Healing and Restoration

An example of the attributes of bold faith can be found in Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The woman sought healing and belonging after twelve long years, and by faith makes a bold attempt towards restoration. Barbara Reid, suggests that the woman took such a bold move and risk because “she has nothing more to lose.

She is already depleted physically, economically, emotionally, and psychologically, and has been outcast socially and religiously” (Reid 1996, 138).

Luke, gives an orderly report from Mark’s account by shortening the narrative and improving the style and syntax (Culpepper 1995, 190). He omits that the woman has heard the reports about Jesus as recorded in Mark 5:27a. and the internal monologue of Mark 5:28 and Matthew 9:21. Luke’s reader is unaware that the woman only wants to touch Jesus’ garment which she believes is sufficient for her to be healed and depicts Him as a miracle worker (Keck

1995, 587). Jesus will inevitably demonstrate His power to heal and save by the authority and power given Him by God. The Bible affirms that Jesus’ power does not evidence itself through magic, but by the Holy Spirit which is recorded in both

Isaiah and Luke,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19)

Luke 8:44 records the woman’s desperate and bold actions, “she came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her

34 hemorrhage stopped”. It is significant to notice the position from which the woman came in approaching Jesus. According to Guelich, “Coming from the rear of the crowd, the appropriate place for the defiled, she risked defiling others by approaching and deliberately touching Jesus’ clothes” (Guelich 1989, 297).

The woman moved by faith, not to touch Him directly, but to touch the fringe of

His cloak. By faith she exhibited her belief that whatever was attached to Jesus

(the tassel) was sufficient and possessed healing power. The woman demonstrated faith and her belief that Jesus was not and ordinary man, but rather a divine healer (Hagner 1993, 248).

In Luke 8:44 the woman does not touch Jesus directly, but touches the fringe of His cloak, which can be interpreted as the hem of the garment or tassel.

Luke uses the Greek word kraspedon, which denotes an appendage hanging down from the edge of the cloak (Johnson 1991, 141). The tassels served as a constant reminder of God’s presence, salvation, and commandments given to them by Moses,

The Lord said to Moses; Speak to the Israelites, and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments through-out their generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God. (Numbers 15:37-41)

According to Bovon, “the text thus discreetly indicate that the woman who stands behind Jesus and touches his fringe . . . . keep the commands of God in mind, . .

. . the woman would be presented as a model not only of faith but of the new

35 obedience” (Bovon 2002, 338). She desired to keep the commands of God and not sin by touching others with her uncleanness and sinful thoughts (Bovon 2002,

338).

One touch of faith to the tassel of Jesus’ garment rendered an immediate stoppage of her hemorrhage. According to Stein, “His power and might is such that a twelve-year sickness, which no one else could heal, was instantaneously healed” (Stein 2015, 261). The woman experienced a private healing in a public setting. Without question, Jesus was full of God’s power. He was unlike any man, healer, or physician she had ever encountered. The reports were true as recorded in Mark 6:56, “and wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.”

The woman turned away to flee, and no one in the crowd was aware of her stealth touch but Jesus. Is it feasible to think that she was the only person seeking healing in the crowd? Possibly. Was Jesus angry that someone had accessed His power to heal without permission? Culpepper was previously quoted as stating “Jesus moved to bring healing, life, and wholeness to the person in need” (Culpepper 1995, 1919). In that very moment, the woman was the one in need of healing and wholeness. Green delineates this opinion and shares, “Jesus presents two unspoken premises concerning himself---namely, that he is the bearer of divine power and that he is able to discern when it is conveyed to others” (Green 1997, 348). Based upon this insight, Jesus was not angry but very much aware of the power to heal when it left His body. Therefore,

He asked the question Who touched me to grow the faith of the people and allow the woman’s testimony to be heard? (Green 1997, 349).

Upon the denial of everyone in the crowd including the woman, Jesus confirms his knowledge of being touched by stating, “someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me” (Luke 8:46). According to Edwards,”

“power,” dynamis is a primary sign of Jesus’ spiritual authority. The word is almost exclusively used of the ministry and mission of Jesus, and especially, as here, of Jesus’ power and compassion to heal” (Edwards 1984, 256). Jesus’ desire for the woman was not only to heal her, but to make her whole.

Schweizer, states, “Jesus’ power separates the woman from both the crowd and her infirmity, restoring her as a unique and whole person (Schweizer 1984, 256).

The woman could not deny that she touched Jesus, neither could she deny that her flow of blood had staunched immediately. What would be the repercussion of touching Jesus? How would the crowd respond knowing that she was ritually unclean and did not belong in community? By law she could be stoned to death, or rebuked for spreading her disease. Waiting for Jesus’ reaction, she exposes herself as the one who had touched Him and falls at His feet. The position “at the feet” of someone means a recognition of authority; it is a favorite expression in Luke (7:38, 46, 8:35; 10:39; 17:16; 20:43) (Harrington

1991, 141). The woman humbly bows before the one who has healed her and trembles in His presence. She did not tremble out of fear, but in reverence to His power and majesty. Green reinforces this point by stating,

In order for faith to express itself fully, however, it must traverse the perimeters of the holiness code and overcome the stranglehold of the crowds, the disgrace of social banishment. In actuality, given her social position, her hiding and trembling are expected behaviors. So is her falling down before Jesus, a token of her humility. (Green 1997, 349)

Mark 5:33 states, “But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth” (RSV). However, Luke is more detailed and states, “when the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed” (Luke 8:47a). Luke informs the reader that the woman “declared” meaning that she thoroughly explained the reason why she touched Him and the immediacy of her healing (Luke 8:47b).

According to Schweizer, “her act and confession are an expression of faith, for faith is both a trust in Jesus and a risk to break through conventions and customs to meet Jesus” (Schweizer 1984, 256). When the woman declared what happened to her in the presence of the crowd and before Jesus, LeMarquand suggests, “the woman in the story reaches to Jesus, finds healing, and finds a voice” (LeMarquand 2004, 163). For a woman to speak in public, expressly to

Jesus or any man of authority was unusual for women because they were not permitted to speak publicly. The woman’s bold faith, allowed her to declare her truth in the presence of God and the people.

Upon the conclusion of her proclamation, she awaited Jesus’ response, and heard the words that welcomed her back to God and her community of faith.

In Luke 8:48 Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace.”

Before the waiting crowd, Jesus called the nameless woman daughter!

Green delineates the significance of Jesus calling the woman daughter, when he states,

Jesus’ actions are calculated to signal, first, that her faith, tested by the boundaries of ritual purity legitimated by community sanctions, is genuine. Its authenticity is manifest in her willingness to cross the barriers of acceptable behavior in order to obtain salvation. Second, he signals that he is not content to leave her cured according to biomedical definitions only. He embraces her in the family of God by referring to her as “daughter,” thus extending kinship to her and restoring her to the larger community . . . . not on the basis of her ancestry (3:7-9), but as a consequence of her active faith. (Green 1997, 349)

Considering Green’s statement, it becomes clear that our faith assures us that we belong to God, even when situations or circumstances tend to convey otherwise. Even in her unclean state, she was God’s daughter.

The faithfulness of God she experienced was further heightened when

Jesus dismissed her with peace. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term for peace is shalom. According to Geddert, the type of peace Jesus was referring to covered “wholeness, well-being, prosperity, security, friendship and salvation”

(Geddert 1992, 604). She was without question a citizen of God’s kingdom and restored as a daughter of Israel where she rightfully belonged. With Jesus’ proclamation to go in peace, she experienced a sense of belonging to God and community.

Summary

The question of what to do next, is often asked when it appears that all hope is gone. During times of great despair, one must be cognizant of God’s

39 preordained timing. “Faith should seize the initiative to act in dependence on God and speak about him, yet sometimes be patient” (Bock 1996, 250). Being patient and waiting on God in times of need and despair can be a difficult undertaking.

As believers, our faith is often tested and tried by the vicissitudes of life which most often causes despair and hopelessness. This Bible narrative has illustrated the importance of having faith in God and the healing power of Jesus.

Such faith does what we cannot do for ourselves in the healing of our body and salvation of our eternal souls. Jairus came to Jesus to request healing for his dying only daughter, while a woman who had been suffering from a 12-year bleeding malady also needed the Master desperately.

The woman who did not belong and was considered an outcast, like the demoniac put her trust in Jesus. Her desire was to be healed, but Jesus made her whole; thus, she experienced a sense of belonging to God and the Christian community that followed Jesus. There was never a question of who Jesus needed to rescue first because through God, Jesus had enough power to heal and save the woman and Jarius’ daughter without jeopardizing the other.

Edwards summarizes the narrative by suggesting, “The Judaism of Jesus’ day used “daughter” normally to refer to a biological daughter or younger woman…. the use of “daughter” with reference to the woman with the blood flow tells readers how precious she is to Jesus” (Edwards 2015, 257). Edwards makes a salient point, as the beloved of God, we are precious to Him. More importantly, Jesus never denounced the woman as unclean, unworthy,

40 unlovable, or sinful. Rather, He saw her though the eyes of God, worthy of healing and salvation.

In the theological foundation, we will examine what theologians have contributed to the themes of suffering, faith, and salvation as they relate to belonging to God. The theological perspectives that will be included are: Donald

G. Bloesch, James Dunn, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, James Cone and others will be used to establish this theological foundation.

Theological Foundation

There are those who seek to penetrate the immensities and to see God. One ought rather to sink into the depths to find God among the suffering, erring, and downtrodden. Martin Luther

Regardless of our measure of faith, whether we have mustard seed or gigantic mountain moving faith, God will allow situations and circumstances to impede our life’s journey in order to reveal His will and purpose for our life. As a believer and disciple of Christ, it is imperative that we acknowledge God and establish our relationship with Him, as the Triune God; God the Father, God the

Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In doing so, we are privileged when we experience

God in the fullness of His glory even when our lives fall prey to hardship, misfortune and suffering. If we endure and maintain our faith, God reveals to us

His true character and nature.

The theological foundation for this project is rooted on the faithfulness of

God. Booth suggests,” theology is the rational interpretation of religious faith, practice, and experience in light of one’s understanding of and relationship with

God. It is a dealing with and understanding of God and His relationship with the world” (Booth 2000, 15). Thus, our understanding and belief concerning God is that He is the creator of the world, and is passionately involved in the affairs of those who occupy His creation. As the beloved of God, it is rational to believe that although He allows suffering, God also provides provision and a way of escape when we endure suffering. The focus of the theological foundation will begin with what theologians have written about suffering, faith, and salvation.

This section will conclude with the significance of belonging to God and Christian community told from the perspective of two African-American theologians.

Suffering and Salvation

Is there an answer to the age-old question: why does a merciful God allow bad things to happen to good people? Moreover, why does a just God allow good things to happen to bad people? Although seeing the righteous suffer is sometimes unbearable, seeing the wicked prosper can be quite disturbing and harder to explain, the question then becomes is God fair? Questions dealing with fairness and why God allows suffering are hard to answer.

No one is capable of understanding the ways of God completely.

According to Martin Luther, “suffering is a three-edged sword, stemming from human sinfulness, from Satan, yet also from God’s testing his faithful and calling them to repentance” (Kolb 2012, 100). In this regard, we suffer because we are sinful and disobedient concerning the things of God. Suffering can very well be the consequence of not obeying God. When we succumb to our own will rather

42 than God’s will, we fall short and must endure suffering if God deems it necessary.

We also suffer because Satan is a part of the plan that God uses to bring one to repentance. Job is a prime example of how suffering can be a test of faith which inevitably leads us back to God. Cline suggests, “no more sudden or catastrophic suffering could easily be imagined: how should a human being respond? Precisely as Job, without recrimination, self-pity or rejection of reality, and with praise to the Lord . . . . Job is unarguably here set forth as an exemplar of faith in crisis” (Cline 1989, 38). Is it possible that suffering in the life of the believer is necessary for the glorification of God?

Since we do not know the thoughts of God, it is not wise to predict what brings Him glory. However, we are certain that God requires a persistent attitude of praise and worship from His creation. Therefore, instead of complaining, questioning, and asking how long we must endure while we are suffering and being tested, our response should be to thank God regardless of the situation. A positive response of praise demonstrates our confidence in a God who will prove

Himself to be faithful for our sake.

Martin Luther, further concluded that suffering and misfortune were part of living and suggested we must bear our own cross. No one comes to Christ apart from suffering. However, Luther believed God “takes no pleasure in afflicting us but uses powerful and bitter remedies to make the deformity and foulness of the depraved sinful nature clear to his people and to cleanse them” (Kolb 2021, 111).

By this we understand that our suffering has purpose and is designed to cleanse us, therefore suffering is purposeful.

Luther was a great theologian who taught his students and parishioners that human suffering is inevitable and spent a lot of time focusing on what suffering might do to and for the sufferer. According to Luther, the cross is the only source of knowledge concerning who God is and how God saves. Suffering is in the center of living as a Christian and we must trust in the goodness of God regardless of what we experience. Luther stated, “God also tests faith and strengthens it when the faithful find his presence while bearing the burdens…. suffering can involve a variety of ills that befall the believer, including sickness and misfortune of various kind” (Kolb 2012, 117). Therefore, we have assurance that if we trust the process or test, the end result is that we will be strengthen. To be strengthened, means we will be made better, stronger, and more confident.

As we are strengthened, our faith and sense of belonging to God will be reinforced.

According to Clarka and Russell, “the remedy for suffering is therefore found in the salvation offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus

Christ” (Clarka and Russell 1996, 279). The suffering we experience as believers in Christ, can never be compared to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. Jesus’ death became payment in full for the sins of the world. Because we are God’s beloved children, salvation is the gift of love through Jesus Christ.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who lived a life that included suffering stated, “A Christian has then no other choice but to act, to suffer and ---

44 if it has to be --- to die” (Bonhoeffer 1959, 23). Bonhoeffer, never believed that he suffered alone, he was confident that God himself shared in his suffering.

According to Bonhoeffer, “God heard his prayer and granted him the “costly grace” that is, the privilege of taking the cross for others and of affirming his faith by martyrdom” (Bonhoeffer 1959, 26).

Bonhoeffer was certain of his belongingness to God, and he lived his life sacrificing on Christ’s behalf. In doing so, others understood that the salvation we have received through Christ was not cheap grace, but costly. When Bonhoeffer used the term “costly grace” he was referring to the sacrifice God made in allowing His Son Jesus to die for mankind. He believed, “it is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us” (Bonhoeffer 1959, 45).

Bonhoeffer, like Luther, believed that Christians should expect to suffer and their lives should reflect the grace of God. Discipleship to both Luther and

Bonhoeffer rested in being obedient to Jesus Christ. According to Bonhoeffer,

“only he will be blessed who remains loyal to Jesus and his word until the end”

(Bonhoeffer 1959, 216). Obedient discipleship is a daily way of life for a

Christian, even during hardship and suffering. God never abandons us while we suffer, or bear pain and misfortune. Rather, God makes His presence known through Jesus who not only suffered for our sins, but is the God who died because of our sins. Thus, by faith our salvation is sure and through Christ Jesus we belong to God.

Faith

What is faith, and how is it demonstrated in the life of a Christian? Does

God have a purpose in mind, when our faith is tested? From Hebrew 11:6 it is understood that faith is an essential element to pleasing God, “for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” According to Dunn, the Greek word for faith is pisteuo and he defines faith as,

Trust in, reliance on, but basically is an expression of confidence in the object of trust.…trust includes a recognition and affirmation of the trustworthiness of the one trusted, the stability and security of believing (faith) as predicated on the stability and reliability (faithfulness) of the one relied on. (Dunn 2007, 408)

Thus, from a theological perspective, faith can be described as a constant belief, hope and trust in God. Moreover, it is essentially a belief in a spiritual power beyond human existence and the act of being totally dependent upon such power. It is the total surrender of the mind, body, and spirit to God.

From Dunn’s definition, faith can be demonstrated in the life of the believer, by exemplifying a complete trust that does not waiver in the presence of adversity, sickness, or suffering. Faith would be displayed by trusting in the healing power of God when challenged by an illness or situation that the believer has no power or control over. The believer’s only resolve would be to trust in the faithfulness of God. Luther aides in our understanding concerning the faithfulness of God by stating, “God is faithful and at the same time presents himself as unfaithful so that we can be smart enough to learn to know him truly and how he carriers out what he has to do on a level beyond our imagination and reason”

(Kolb 2012, 121). God proves His faithfulness when we exercise faith by learning who He truly is. In essence people will never know that He is a healer, until they exercise faith and are healed.

Ronald Hals suggests, “faith is our grateful response to our gracious God, and praise is the natural form in which this faith is confessed and in which this gratitude finds expression” (Hals 1980, 18). Hals aides us in understanding that an expression of faith to God, is a response of praise to God for His graciousness shown towards us. Further Hals believed that the only appropriate way to talk about God is in response to what He has already accomplished which would render our praise. Therefore, faith is not just what we look forward to God doing, it is a testament of what He has already completed. In this regard, we have confidence in God by what we have previously experienced. As our faith increases, we learn more about Him, through the demonstration of His power and loving-kindness. Our lack of faith, never diminish God’s faithfulness, which is why our response according to Hals should be one of sincere gratitude based upon our past experiences.

If faith is required to please God, then a reasonable question to ask is how does one go about establishing faith when life presents challenges? As previously stated, faith is a constant hope and belief in God that requires total surrender and dependence on God. Donald Bloesch quotes Martin Luther who stated, “The highest state of faith is when God hides himself from us so that we must venture in darkness trusting only in his promises” (Bloesch 1981, 66). In order to trust in His promises, we first must realize that we belong to Him and

47 that whatever His word promises, He is able to fulfill. Luther believed that real strength is displayed when one is able to trust God despite what their senses and reason may feel.

Donald Bloesch believed, “faith is therefore an indirect rather than direct knowledge of God. It is a “knowing” in the midst of “unknowing.” Faith signifies an encounter with mystery, but it is a mystery illumined by the uncreated light of

Christ” (Bloesch 1967, 48). God is mysterious, His infallible word reminds us that

His ways and thoughts are not like ours; we may expect Him to respond in one way, and He will surprise us by doing something unexpected. Bloesch believed that true religion and confidence in God was justified through experience and faith. For Bloesch, faith was demonstrated by an experience of God’s forgiving and transforming power, and the experience was fulfilled by trust and obedience to God. He coined this experience with God “The Pilgrimage of Faith” (Bloesch

1967, 48). Thus, Bloesch believed “faith is rooted in an experience to be sure . . .

. It is an experience which cannot be prepared for or engendered by any effort or determination on man’s side; faith and the capacity to receive faith are gifts of

God” (Bloesch 1967, 48).

Bloesch quotes John Calvin who contended, “nothing is so injurious to faith, he said, as to fasten our hope upon what we can see. He defined faith as “a firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us” (Bloesch 1967,

51). Faith in this regard is not based upon sight or experience but rather on knowing God to be benevolent, kind and gracious. Our belonging to God and in

Christian community becomes firm and certain when we believe and have faith in the sheer benevolence of God.

From an African-American perspective, one’s faith and confidence is deeply embedded in the belief that God is benevolent, loving and kind. Our faith, encourages us to believe that not only is God benevolent, but He is just. Cone asserts, “in the ongoing struggle for meaning in the midst of suffering, there is no intellectual or theoretical answer that will ease the pain of evil and injustice. We solve the mystery of evil’s existence by fighting it. And faith is real only to the degree it endows us the courage to fight” (Cone 2008, 701). Black lives, as well as, all lives matter to God. By faith, all God’s children must fight against the inequalities that are so pervasive among us, especially during this season of unnecessary violence and brutality. It is by faith that we anticipate more will embrace and align their confidence in God as Cone suggests,

let us hope, through God’s grace and our struggle together, that we will be able to overcome our prejudices and the hate that separates us, and thereby empower people of all races and faiths to become the one people God created us to be. (Cone 2018, 143)

We demonstrate our confidence and trust in God when we partner with each other for the betterment of the entire human race. God loves all of His creation. It is very unfortunate that race is a divider amongst lines of faith and religion. By faith, we belief that God created everyone in His image and likeness. Therefore, we must learn to embrace our differences through love as opposed to hate.

Cone raises a valid point when he states, “suffering challenges faith, causing us to doubt and question faith’s credibility, its authenticity in a world of trouble and sorrow” (Cone 2008, 712). Suffering and bearing our individual cross

49 is actualized through our faith. However, regardless of our struggles individually or collectively, our faith in God’s presence and ability should never be challenged to the point that we doubt the power of God. Faith should thrive even in the darkest of times, because God is the faithful one who reigns and we are certain that we belong to Him despite our circumstance.

Howard Thurman, an African-American theologian like Cone, believed

God was a liberator to those who were abused, overlooked, and disinherited

(Thurman 1976, 38). Thurman like Cone, believed that all creations are children of God, especially African-Americans. He believed that many African-Americans struggle with a sense of belonging to God or counting to God. It was his thought that if a man did not feel that he counted as other people felt they belonged, the man would develop a sense of insecurity (Thurman 1976, 39). If by faith we believe that we belong to God, and that our faith is essentially a gift from God we should know that we count and have meaning to God. Being somebody, and knowing that we are children of God is a part of our pilgrimage of faith.

Summary

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, taught suffering is really Christs’ way of suffering with and through us. Essentially, we never suffer alone because He suffers with us

(Mohler 1979, 7). Our faith and confidence in God are essentially gifts of benevolence from Him. Further, faith is required to please God and our grateful response should be gratitude to our loving creator, even when we suffer. God rescues and saves us for a purpose. Our faith teaches us that we are made in the image of God, we belong to Him from our very existence.

Booth said, “He is the God who is very much involved in the world which

He created, and in the affairs of those who occupy it” (Booth 2002, 15). Our faith, sense of belonging, and trust in God is further established through our relationships with others. When people are excluded from their family, religious community, and those they share similar religious beliefs with, it is difficult to experience a sense of belonging to God. Selvidge makes the following conclusion which should be a reminder to all Christians that comprise the body of

Christ,

This beaten woman was one of the most unlikely candidates for inclusion into the circles of Jesus. She had no rank, riches, or political power. If she had any gift at all it must be found within her own self. She is an example of all those who seek entrance into the Christian community who can only offer themselves as a service to the rest. (Selvidge 1990, 100)

The concluding section of Chapter Two is the historical foundation. This foundation will focus on the emergence of the Black Church and its historical significance in establishing a sense of belonging from slavery through the Great

Awakening movements. This significant period in church history brought religious freedom to the slaves and allowed them to regain a sense of belonging to God and within their Christian community.

Historical Foundation

Afterward I told the Lord I wanted another name, cause everybody Else had two names; and the Lord gave me Truth, because I was to declare the Truth to the people Harriet Tubman

When the first slaves arrived on the shores of America in 1619, they had been uprooted from their native land of Africa, torn from their God, and

51 involuntarily made to work in a brutal system that yielded them no compensation

(McCall 1972, 18). Their lives were characterized by abusive treatment, suffering, and alienation from their rich heritage. Many slave owners felt that teaching

Christianity would further subdue the slaves into being more submissive and loyal. The white oppressors had no intellection that the slaves knew God and that

God was well acquainted with those held in bondage against their will.

According to McCall, “it was a general feeling among the English that the closer to servitude that the slave was kept, the more useful he would be as a laborer; therefore, little concern was given for his spiritual needs” (McCall 1972,

18). To many the slave was not considered human or a being with a soul; they were disposable property, used at the will of the whip and their master. For most slave owners, the slaves were nothing more than ignorant pieces of breathing property. They did not have a soul and were not considered to be created in the image of God (McCall 1972, 19).

“The Great Awakening” was the spiritual rebirth in America that had previously occurred in England in the 1700’s. Along with men such as William

Tennent Sr., George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Samuel Davis, church meetings were revolutionized. “Worship came down from its High-Church plateau and became the heart throb of common people. The worship of the middle and lower classes was greatly enhanced” (McCall 1972, 20). The liturgy came alive with spiritual expressions such as shouting, dancing, being slain in the spirit and expressive sermons. The gospel was being preached and some minds were beginning to change.

One of the significant results of the Great Awakening was the deliberation about the negro slave having a soul in need of Christianizing. According to

McCall, the reasoning varied,

Some were genuinely concerned about the total development of their slaves. Others, however, were moved by economic exploitability. Some missionaries advanced the notion that Christianizing the Negro would make him a better slave rather than a worse one. He would be more docile, “tamed,” less subject to rebellion. (McCall 1972, 22)

There were many slave owners who prohibited the Christianization of their slaves. The slaves were forced to have secret meetings in the woods and places of safety away from their masters. McCall suggests, “some features begun or developed out of those experiences continue even now.…the use of tub bottoms or hollow logs as drums, the singing of metered hymns, the charismatic rise of slave preachers to guide the worship and do the preaching” (McCall 1992, 21).

Another significant movement of the Great Awakening occurred when some Christian slave owners taught their slaves to read the Bible. This resulted in a greater sense of religious freedom (Mitchell 2004, 16). “Africans used Bible wisdom selectively to replace the holy wisdom of the homeland, which in its

African form had disappeared with the shift from their African tongues to English”

(Mitchell 2004, 16). For many slaves, it was forbidden to read the Bible unless the master was present. The master only permitted them to read passages of scripture that pertained to slaves obeying and being good to their master.

However, the Negro slaves learned to select portions of God’s word to strengthen their faith such as the book of Exodus,

God’s guarantee of justice meant that slaves had cosmic significance. One could not abuse them without having to face God’s judgement and punishment. The functional support of emotional healing implicit in this doctrine still causes believers to depend on belief for support and to keep faith alive. (Mitchell 2004, 17)

Their understanding of God being a just God gave them hope for better things to come. Many slaves became what has been referred to as “Black Moses” as they arose to lead the negro to freedom; Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner

Truth were not only slaves who risked their lives to bring others to freedom, but they were preachers of the gospel. Smith shares, “when white slave-masters claimed sole authority over the Bible and its interpretation, our ancestors creatively seized and reappropriated some of the very tools the master used against them” (Smith 2007, 19). These warriors for freedom preached the gospel to ignite the hope of being free just as Moses lead the children of Israel out of

Egypt.

The second Great Awakening can be traced between 1780 to 1830.

During this second “Awakening” more slaves and freed people were exponentially added to the Christian church. One reason for the rapid growth was that the Baptist and Methodist church provided a more emotional and ecstatic form of worship. This included soul stirring singing, foot stomping, and loud bursts of praise to God (Frazier 1974, 37).

This second movement spoke of a religious faith that catered to the spiritual and immediate social needs of the Negro. Booth suggests,

the revival or evangelical spirit of the awakenings provided a religious and spiritual climate for the slave to press towards liberation. The evangelical fervor of this period was the seed bed from which would spring that “invisible institution” that would grow in the years to come and become that powerful vehicle known as the “Black church,” which to this day remains the great center of impetus for freedom on the part of Black people. (Booth 2000, 49)

This invisible institution was the culmination of slaves and the Negroes who were free before the Civil War. The merger between freed slaves and those emancipated resulted in social restructuring of the Negro and the Black church.

The Black church became the social control agent. This social restructuring materialized in three significant areas namely, economic cooperation, education, and within their political life (Frazier 1974, 39).

During slavery, the Negro family was dismantled, separated and sold off from one another and the male slave had no control over his family. However, the new economic conditions that resulted from emancipation tended to place the

Negro male in a position of authority in his family and church relations. The men along with their family members worked together to purchase land in order to build their homes and churches. Some of the men eventually became local pastors who held church services at several churches within their communities

(Frazier 1974, 39).

According to Lincoln, “the church became the most important agency of social control among Negros” (Frazier 1974, 40). The invisible church provided the opportunity for leadership, self-assertion, and promotion for strong willed and hardworking men. The women remained faithful in their work ethic both in the home and in the church; supporting the family and working cooperatively with the

55 men but not in ministry leadership. Frazier quotes W.E. DuBois as he stated “a study of economic cooperation among Negros must begin with the church group”

(Frazier 1974, 40). During this time period the Negros pulled their meager resources together to purchase land and buildings for holding worship services.

Another facet that emerged from the invisible church during this time was the development of mutual aid societies. These beneficial societies were connected to the church and provided financial resources and support to those who experienced hardships as a result of death, sickness, and abandonment

(Frazier 1974, 42). As the people benefited from these services they were able to sense that they belonged to God, the church, and community.

By 1850 there was a large number of Negros attending institutions of higher learning in the North. Those who attended college were predominately men who were preparing for ministry. During this time in church history few if any black women attended institutions of higher learning in preparation for ministry

(Frazier 1974, 44). The graduates of these schools often became missionaries and returned back to their communities to raise the moral and religious outlook of their people. Historically the Black philosophy of “each one teaches one” was demonstrated spiritually and educationally. What the Negros learned through higher education and spirituality was shared within the church and community.

According to Montgomery,

one of the freedmen’s strongest and most immediate aspiration, obtaining an education, was deeply rooted in their deprivation throughout the long years of bondage of the opportunity to learn much beyond what was necessary to perform their assigned tasks. (Montgomery 1993, 142)

Education was valued and stressed by the church’s leadership. The Black church was the vehicle used by the Julius Rosenwald Fund that contributed to the building of more than 5,000 schools in the South to educate Black children

(Frazier 1974, 46). The church was able to both educate and develop the children’s awareness of God and living within Christian community.

It was inevitable that the invisible church would not only produce leaders within the church’s structure but outside the church in political settings. The church was the first social environment in which Negros operationalized their political authority. The achievement of distinction, status, and power was gained through the voting and election process that was held in the church for various positions. Although the Negros were denied the opportunity to vote on the national platform, they were able to elect their own officers to govern their Black church.

The political process of the church also engaged the members to sense belonging to God and community. Frazier shares this opinion by stating, “what mattered was the way he was treated in the church which gave him an opportunity for self-expression and status” (Frazier 1974, 51). Historically, one’s affiliation and membership with the church was an acceptable way of establishing identity and status. One distinction of the Baptist church is baptism by immersion, as Christ was baptized in the Jordan river. This sacred act of surrender also demonstrates one’s inward belief in God and acceptance into Christian community. When the slaves and free Negros consented to be baptized it spiritually meant that they belonged to God and their actions solidified that they

57 were a part of the Christian community. Thus, they belonged and were accepted into the church.

Pratt, confirms with the tradition of the Baptist faith that baptism should be by immersion and for those who profess faith in God (Nettles, Pratt, Kolb, and

Castelein 2007, 42). These two points are very important to the Baptist faith as the act of immersion represents the death and resurrection of Christ. Further, the confession of faith in God symbolizes that one truly believes Jesus died for the sins of the world and was raised from the dead. In this regard when a person is baptized they are spiritually announcing their belief in God and belonging to His kingdom. The act of baptism was one way of self-expression as a Christian and visible status of belonging to God.

Braxton challenges us in another way. He suggests, “baptism, however is an opportune time to remember a God who champions oppressed people and struggles alongside them. This God troubles the waters of the Red Sea in order to enable the oppressed to be free” (Braxton 2019, 203). Braxton believes that in order to serve God, we must be willing to struggle for our individual and collective freedom, even to the point of death (Braxton 2019, 205). He states, “Baptism is not a cleansing of our souls from sin; it is a marking of our bodies for struggle! At baptisms, we should call the names of those who have been martyred in movements for righteousness” (Braxton 2019, 206). While this is a very radical approach, all persons who are overtaken by violence, racism, sexism and discrimination should be remembered in the body of Christ because we are all precious and beloved in God’s sight. Baptism is one of many ordinances of the

Black church which can be considered a demonstration of belonging to God and to a local body of Christ.

Another tradition of the Baptist church that still remains and indicate membership to the local church as well as, the body of Christ is the “right hand of fellowship” ritual. Traditionally, the “right hand of fellowship” is extended to a member upon completion of membership training or after baptism. This solemn act signifies belonging in Christian community and to God. The extension of “the right hand of fellowship” publicly affirms that an individual is a part of the church and has every right and privilege as all other members. The American Baptist journal confirms,

when a new member is admitted to fellowship by the presentation of the right hand, every former members feels that he has come under a new relation to that new member…is laid under a different kind of obligation, and bound to a certain course of duty, in consequence of the act, to which he would not have been otherwise bound….By the right hand of fellowship, the churches and ministers of that association pledge themselves to stand by it in weal and wo, to share its burdens and sympathize in its griefs, to watch over and pray for it, and, in its adversity, by all reasonable and Christian efforts, to seek for it a return to prosperity and enjoyment. (American Baptist Journal 1833, 347)

The affiliation and connection to the church in a sense represented where someone felt they belonged to God and Christian community. To say that one belongs to the church should mean something to the individual, as well as, those who are familiar with the rich legacy it has within the kingdom of God.

The Black church continues to be the priceless jewel that God created in the economy of life. According to Deotis,

The black church has been not merely an ark of salvation, but a hospital for the sick, a haven for the lonely, an agent of social action and change. It has been a center of protest, but it has also been a place where we have found meaning and healing for our bodies, minds and spirits. In sum, this is the role of the church in the history of black people. (Deotis 1979, 141)

Though at times complicated and misrepresented, it is a God created entity like no other organization on earth. The Black Church has been a place of refuge for not only people of color, but to all those who enter. Deotis, candidly expresses how the church is an ark of safety and shelter for weary souls. The Black church will remain significant and unique, because “all are welcome to belong”. Mitchell concludes this thought by stating, “this cross-cultural “pollination” enriches the experience of all concerned, and gives a strength and integrity to black spirituality which can become a blessing to the entire world” (Mitchell 2004, 22).

Summary

Throughout history, the plight of the African American and the struggle to be free has culminated in a variety of ways as explained by Lincoln and Mamiya who suggests,

During slavery, it meant release from bondage; after emancipation, it meant the right to be educated, to be employed…In the twentieth century freedom means social, political, and economic justice…from the very beginning of the black experience in American…freedom has always meant the absence of any restraint which might compromise one’s responsibility to God. (Lincoln and Mamiya 1990, 4)

Freedom for many persons of color has been found within the walls of the Black church, were they are recognized as brothers and sisters all belonging to God.

As the Black church continues to evolve and thrive it is apparent that she produces some of the most brilliant and talented people that grace this universe.

It is the church that opens its doors to the poor, homeless, weary, and sad in hopes of sharing the good news of the gospel. The black church engages in several ordinances and practices that demonstrates belonging to God and

Christian community. Baptism and the right hand of fellowship welcomes believers into the family of God and Christian community. It is by faith that we are saved. Therefore, the church provides opportunities for us to join other travelers who are sojourning towards heaven.

Chapter Three will consist of the review of literature. In this foundation, the writer will review what various authors have contributed to the principles of formational counseling, inner healing prayer, spiritual direction, and the practice of spiritual disciplines that can increase faith and encourage a sense of belonging. The literature of Terry Wardle, Stephen Seamands, Charles Booth,

Brene’ Brown, and others will be used for the review of literature for the project.

CHAPTER THREE

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Surrendered…mind, body, and soul. I have nothing left … but me. Yvette Weaver

In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be…This is the inter-related structure of reality. Martin Luther King Jr.

The purpose of this project was to discover the elements that influence participants’ sense of belonging in community. The primary objective was to identify what causes a person to feel that they belong, have meaning, and significance in Christian community. This foundation included a critical review of literature that substantiate and built upon the themes associated with belonging in community which have been emphasized in the previous chapter.

The review of literature will be divided into three sections. The first section will review what various authors have contributed to the understanding of

Christian community. Authors such as Gilbert Bilezikian, Stanley J. Grenz, and

Larry Crabb will be featured. From these authors, we will answer the questions what is Christian community? What elements influence a sense of belonging?

In the second section, we will examine Wounds, Inner Healing Prayer and

Structures of Healing model that can be utilized to move a person from woundedness to wholeness. Since the ministry of inner healing is the work of the

Holy Spirit, we will consult faith based authors such as Terry Wardle, Stephen

Seamands, and Charles Kraft who have been instrumental in helping the wounded find healing. In this section, we will define the meaning of wounds and provide guidance on how the wounded can find wholeness. The practice of inner healing prayer and the structure of healing model developed by Terry Wardle will be examined.

The third and concluding section will highlight the significance of spiritual direction and spiritual disciplines. We will examine authors such as William

Kirwan, Dallas Willard, and Richard Foster who have made noteworthy contributions to the ministry of spiritual direction. The writer will bring to light disciplines that can enhance an individual’s sense of belonging to God and community.

Christian Community

There are many voices that have contributed to the understanding of what it means to have a sense of belonging in Christian Community. A newly converted Christian may believe that when they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and

Savior and fulfill the requirements of affiliating themselves with a local body of

Christ, they are demonstrating what it means to belong to the church and subsequently a Christian community. However, Stanley J. Grenz, teaches that the church is not an organization, or a brick and mortar structure, nor an event that one attends (Grenz 1998, 207). The “Church” exists whenever believers join together with the purpose of walking with one another as God’s people, under

Christ’s authority, and by the empowerment of the Spirit (Grenz 1998, 210).

Grenz defined Christian community as the composition of spiritually reconciled people who enjoy fellowship with God, one another and all creation (Grenz 1998,

23). Thom and Joani Schultz agree with Grenz concerning the church and note,

We don’t go to church. We are the church. (A thought that can be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.) The greatest act of our faith---love-- -shows up not beneath the glow of stained glass but in the midst of the fluttering fluorescents of our daily lives, when our shadows intersect with those around us. (Schultz 2014, 7)

As believers and disciples of Christ, we are the living church and interact with one another by faith through love. Both the Schultz’s and Grenz agree community exists when we traverse with the Triune God and fellowship with those around us. Christian community and the church is not limited to one local body of Christ, denomination, or religion. Collectively all bodies of Christ are what believers ascribe to as the kingdom of God.

True and genuine community cannot exist without the presence and operation of the Godhead. While James Bryan Smith, agrees with both Grenz and the Schultz’s’, he structured his teaching on community from I Peter 2:9a which reads, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people” (KJV). Smith argues the word “peculiar” emphasizes that God calls His people unique because they are made in His image and fashioned like no other creation (Smith 2010, 34). It is therefore reasonable to expect the community of faith to be comprised of people who are different, distinctive and sometimes odd but yet love God. Smith states,

It takes courage to live like our peculiar God, to love and forgive the unloving and the unforgivable. The only way we will ever find the courage is when we discover that we are a community of people who are rooted in another world. (Smith 2010, 35)

As Christians, we have a hope beyond this mortal world which cautions us to be mindful of how we live on earth and in community with others; regardless if those whom live amongst us share our beliefs about God. As His peculiar people, we should have the courage to show love and forgiveness, believing by faith that one small act of kindness will ignite a fuse that can change the world one person at a time.

Brene’ Brown, discovered through her various research projects that belonging is an essential need that everyone has regardless of how different or peculiar we may seem to be to others and ourselves (Brown 2017, 6). She supports and maintains that although it is human nature to want to belong, to be in community with others, it should not be pursued at the cost of compromising your authenticity, freedom, and power (Brown 2017, 33). True belonging and being in Christian community should not mean that you abandon who you are to fit in rather,

true belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are. (Brown 2017, 157)

How can we be our authentic self and find the courage to join others through the wilderness of life? Brown suggest that we should practice telling ourselves that we do belong and that we are good enough on a daily basis. Self-evaluation and confirmation through Christ Jesus should change our perspective, Brown shares,

True belonging and self-worth are not goods; we don’t negotiate their value with the world. The truth about who we are lives in our hearts. Our call to courage is to protect our wild heart against constant evaluation, especially our own. No one belongs here more than you. (Brown 2017, 158)

Realizing our value and worth through Christ Jesus may be the biggest step we take towards being our authentic self. We must have confidence in who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. We belong when we embrace both the good and bad and believe in our hearts what God says we are, rather than what others perceive.

Marva J. Dawn uses the entire chapter of Romans 12 as her launching point to provide encouragement and practical demonstrations that emulate the functioning of a Christian community. Dawn coined the phrase Hilarity not in the sense of merriment or glee, but rather to denote an outpouring of mercy, kindness and patience when interacting with those who share our faith and sacred space (Dawn 1992, 136) According to Dawn, “Hilarity is profound gladness…a deep sense of the rich treasure of God’s grace for us, from an awareness that God’s love sets us free to enjoy being truly ourselves” (Dawn

1992, 136). We can be our authentic self, because God has forgiven us and our sins no longer holds us hostage.

All too often there is no Hilarity in our local churches and communities because we fail to control our flesh and forget that we too were sinners saved by grace. Our lack of self-control, and failure to remember our spiritual transformation gives way to our humanness and stunts our growth (Dawn 1992,

135-137). However, Hilarity causes the spiritual man to rise up and prevail, Dawn suggests,

Hilarity in Christian community comes from being transformed rather than conformed. It expresses itself in eager and generous love for others …It depends upon the renewal of the mind, though that doesn’t hamper its spontaneity.…Hilarity takes possession of our beings, enables them always to be growing toward greater wholeness (Shalom), and springs out of us as a fountain of life reaching out to others. Hilarity is freedom to be truly ourselves. (Dawn 1992, 136)

Dawn agrees with Brown regarding the importance of being our authentic self as a result of our transformation by the Holy Spirit. She further concludes that our sense of belonging to God and one another not only frees us from pretense, but provides an opportunity for growth and wholeness (Dawn 1992, 138). Dawn also supports Smith’s idea that God’s people are peculiar when she raises a valid point by her declaration, “our sense of belonging to one another sets us free to be truly ourselves, each one characterized by grace-gifts valuable to the community” (Dawn 1992, 138). In community everyone counts, no one is left out because the success of the community depends upon everyone playing their needed part.

Gilbert Bilezikian, summarizes his understanding of Christian community in the following statement,

Genuine communion with God translates in active participation into the building of community. It is impossible to love God without loving our neighbor since, in the actual practice of love, our service to God can only find expression in our service to others …. Perfect community is to be found at the intersection of the two segments of the cross, where those who are reconciled with God can be reconciled together. Community is central to God’s purposes for humankind. (Bilezikian 1997, 34-35)

Bilezikian masterfully used the cross to illustrate Matthew 22:36-39 which depicts

Jesus’ explanation to his disciples regarding the great commandments of loving

God and loving one’s neighbor. He explained, the vertical dimension of the cross represents our love, obedience and acceptance by God, while the horizontal dimension represents our love and acceptance of each other. Bilezikian taught, the cross becomes the cross when both dimensions intersect. The intersection is made possible through the Holy Spirit by the will of God. God’s desire for mankind is to experience oneness with Him as we experience oneness with each other. Bilezikian concludes,

Christ’s acceptance of us is gracious, total, unreserved, unprejudiced, forgiving, and freeing. So should be our acceptance of each other. This prescription for oneness forbids Christians intent on building community to construct it around worldly considerations of rank, status, gender, race, fortune, or social standing. Christ does not take into account such factors for his acceptance of believers, nor should his followers. In order to become true oneness, community is to be built by people who accept each other as Christ accepts them. (Bilezikian 1997, 58)

Acceptance is key to cultivating a healthy Christian community. When we learn how to truly love, accept, and forgive others as Christ has so graciously loved and pardon us, we experience what Bilezikian describes as oneness; where the two beams of the cross intersect. Too often some members and leaders in the church become derailed and intoxicated with positions and status that prohibits true Christian community. Their failure to accept others as they themselves have been forgiven is a major flaw that diminishes a sense of belonging in Christian community. Larry Crabb suggests members in community need to connect with others where they are on their journey towards the cross.

The process of connecting according to Crabb depends “entirely on deep fellowship with Christ and then spills over on to other people with the power to change their lives, not always on our timetable or in the ways we expect but as the sovereign Spirit moves” (Crabb 1997, 5). Crabb concurs with Bilezikian and suggests acceptance and connecting is not always on our timetable, rather it is controlled by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What role does the Holy Spirit play in the development of Christian community? According to Crabb the Holy Spirit is the power that God releases in our hearts and souls that allows us to understand and enter into a spiritual relationship of relating one to another. This connecting and relating can only be done through the outpouring of God’s spirit.

The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, and brings back to our memory the thing of The Lord. Therefore, community should be the safest place for growth and acceptance. Crabb confirms this thought by quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer who stated, “our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us” (Crabb 1999,39). We all have a story to tell and need each other in order to be the best persons we can be for our Christian community and the kingdom of God. Telling our stories as well as listening to the stories of others, creates a sense of belonging to God and Christian community.

Elements to Belonging

In reviewing the research and ideologies made by the authors presented thus far, collectively their opinions have established that belonging to God and

Christian community involves spiritual transformation. Community and communion with others must first be rooted in a personal relationship with God.

When we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it becomes apparent that mere acts of church affiliation such as establishing membership, attending worship services and regularly contributing financially does not authenticate one’s belonging in Christian community. However, through engagement and dependency on the operation of the Holy Spirit, the collective voices of these prominent writers revealed a minimum of three elements that influence a sense of belonging in Christian community.

The first element that was revealed which influences a participants’ sense of belonging in community is being known as one’s authentic self. Being known and being my authentic self contributes to a sense of belonging because we can only truly belong where we want to be and where someone demonstrates they want us (Brown 2017, 160). When we are known as our authentic self, we cease from trying to fit in and are free to participate and utilize the gifts God has bestowed upon us.

More importantly, as Brown suggests, “Belonging is being accepted for you. Fitting in is being accepted for being like everyone else.…If I get to be me, I belong. If I have to be like you, I fit in” (Brown 2017, 160). Peculiar people do not fit in, they belong simply because they believe God’s opinion over what others may perceive. There’s a major difference between being known in community, as our authentic self and fitting in community trying to be like someone else.

Thom and Joani Schultz state, “the only true and perfect view of yourself must come from God’s view of you” (Shultz 2014, 29). God knows us better than anyone we could attach ourselves to in community. He has proven His love and

70 acceptance of us in numerous ways; God never requires us to be anything other than what He created us to be. We are known and treasured by God with all our imperfections (Shultz 2014, 29). Dawn agrees with Shultz and shares,

Related to our valuing each other in the Body of Christ is the importance of our ministry to each other’s need for affirmation. Though ideally a mature faith would receive the affirmation of God as sufficient to ameliorate our insecurities and inferiorities, reality is very much different. Those of us who have experienced various kinds of hurts and rejections that make us doubt ourselves need others in the Christian community to help us know our worth. (Dawn 1992, 172)

It is always encouraging when others from our Christian community acknowledge our presence and contribution. When others respond positively to our contribution, they heighten our sense of belonging. However, the ultimate affirmation always come from God. Whatever gifts and talents we are blessed with should be given back to Him in our service to one another (Dawn 1992,

172).

The second element that influences a sense of belonging in Christian community is the extension of Hilarity through hospitality. Hilarity is the grace, love, and affection we extend to let others know how happy and elated we are that they have joined us in community. Hospitality is the act of showing love and affection unconditionally without the expectation of reciprocity. Hospitality involves going up and beyond the usual protocols displaying a non-judgmental attitude to make a person feel welcomed just as they are (Schultz 2014, 61). The

Schultz’s suggest that Christians should display radical hospitality. They teach,

People who demonstrate this act of love are open to loving others without judging or looking down on them. They look past invisible differences (beliefs, attitudes, values, lifestyles, intelligence) and visible differences (clothing, skin color, age, gender, economic status) RADICAL HOSPITALITY really does welcome people just as they are. (Shultz 2014, 60)

When a person receives radical hospitality, they feel that they belong simply because the host welcomes them without any expectations or strings tied to being a part of the group. This type of reception is radical because it has no judgmental boundaries. Christ is the focus, not our hair, dress, or economic status. Our sense of belonging is influenced when we are received with graceful hospitality.

The third and final element to belonging that was discovered in the review of the literature from these authors was the reliance of the Holy Spirit. Crab coined the phrased connecting to emphasize our relationship with the Godhead and mankind (Crab 1997, 5). The connecting of hearts and minds is one gift from

God through the Holy Spirit. Crabb offers this thought regarding the reliance of the Holy Spirit in community, he states, “spiritual community is a gathering of people who experience a kind of togetherness that only the Holy Spirit makes possible, who move in good directions---and want to---because the Spirit is at work” (Crab 1999, 22). When the Holy Spirit is at work, there is no pretense as the people desire to be one united in Christ. The Holy Spirit awakens within each individual and the members travel together in oneness as they journey towards

Christ.

The Schultz’s contend that our churches and spiritual communities would be much better if we learned to trust the Holy Spirit. We must loosen our grip so

72 that our lives and churches can be empowered by the Spirit (Schultz 2014, 109).

When we loosen our grip, and allow the Spirit to direct us, we embark upon the ability to worship in Spirit and in truth. Peculiar and authentic giving God praise and honor for what He has done and is doing (Smith 2010, 172).

Summary

Belonging in Christian community is essentially a practice of being Christ centered and living harmoniously with other Christians or persons of faith. The person who is desirous of belonging anywhere, especially in Christian community, must first commit to being their authentic self and dedicated to walking with God as Jesus did. It requires a life of sacrifice, obedience, and faith.

According to Larry Crabb community should be the safest place on earth for Christians because it’s the place where we are loved and accepted. Dietrich

Bonhoeffer reminded us that when we are in community with others it should reflect what Christ has done for us, as well as, those we join in community with.

In Christian community, everyone counts and is important; the community can only thrive when each member fully participates and shares their talents.

From the literature review, three elements were discovered that enhances a person’s sense of belonging in community. The first element that creates a sense to belonging is being known as our authentic self. I belong when I am free to be me, not what people think I should be. The second element that creates a sense of belonging is the extension of hospitality. When the members of a community affirm that they want and need other people without any judgement belonging can occur. Lastly, and most important is the presence of the Holy

Spirit. The empowerment and direction of the Holy Spirit enhances a sense of belonging and leads to the making of a spiritual community where sincere worship can be experienced.

In this first section of the literature review, we discussed the significance of

Christian community and revealed three elements that influence a sense of belonging. In the next section, we will discuss wounds, inner healing prayer, and the structures of healing model developed by Terry Wardle.

Wounds

Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, wounds and brokenness are the lacerations in life’s fabric that most often occur when we are barely known to ourselves, as infants and small children. These tragic and unfortunate events can be grouped into at least four non-clinical typologies of trauma known as traumatic wounds of withholding in childhood, traumatic wounds of aggression in childhood traumatic wounds caused by stressful events and traumatic wounds caused by betrayal (Wardle 2007, 59).

Traumatic Wounds of Withholding in childhood refers to wounds associated with things that are withheld by the parent or caregiver from a child that are desperately needed during their early developmental stages of life.

(Wardle 2007, 60). These things include, affection, attention, love, confirmation, time, nurturing, protection and safety. Children, especially babies need to be held, adored, and given constant attention in order for them to thrive towards their journey to adolescence. The consistent absences of any one or combination

74 of these elements can result in traumatic woundings that can affect their lives forever (Wardle 2007, 60).

A Traumatic Wounds of Aggression in childhood is treatment that is not needed but received in childhood (Wardle 2007, 62). This types of woundings result in physical, verbal, mental and even sexual abuse. Hurtful words like “I wish you were never born, your sister is smart, why are you so stupid;” may not seem to hurt as much as molestation but each child is different and is a big deal depending upon how it is internalized” (Wardle 2007, 63). When a person of significance acts upon a child in a damaging manner, the nature and scope of these wounds are very broad and causes the child to struggle throughout their life. If aggression wounds are not properly addressed and healed they too have long-life effects. Wardle concludes,

People who recognize that they received this type of treatment, should prayerfully consider the effect it has had upon them. An ongoing struggle with confidence, self-image, connecting with others, and fear of God can find roots in just such traumatic woundings. The good news is that Jesus is present, not only in today, but yesterday as well. He is willing to meet people in those memories and ultimately set them free. (Wardle 2007, 63)

Both Traumatic Wounds of Withholding and Traumatic Wounds of Aggression damage the child’s image of themselves in relation to others and God. They learn to hate and minimize their worth without knowing or realizing how loveable and precious they are to God. In doing so, they often have difficulty with establishing a sense of belonging to God and with others.

R. Neal Siler, a psychologist, and former student of Wardle, specializes in counseling services for African Americans. Siler believes as Wardle, wounds often originate from childhood experiences (Siler 2010, 85). The occurrences

75 were perpetrated upon us when we were too young and defenseless to fight against the abuse, the things that were held from us that we needed to thrive, to feel safe, and loved. Concerning the wounding of African-Americans he states,

for African Americans, there are systemic wounds that result from our cultural experiences as well. Wounds can come from harsh words, discrimination, loss, - especially ungrieved losses, abuse, abandonment, rejection and any number of emotional experiences that demean, or hurt…Wounds are attached to the painful memories still moving within us. (Siler 2010, 86-87)

Additionally, Siler teaches that wounding occurs when caretakers abuse their power and authority (Siler 2010, 86). This type of wounding according to Wardle is Traumatic Wounds Caused by Betrayal. Betrayal wounds occur when a person inappropriately misuse their power, influence, and authority over someone under their care. This type of wounding can happen at the hands of parents, teachers, counselors, and even pastors. Wardle, expresses caution when he shares,

most believers are preoccupied with sexual sin, and granted it is a serious problem . . . there is some chance that they, as pastors, will commit sexual sins; but there is a great chance that they will abuse power . . . someone will be deeply hurt and it could affect their level of trust and security for the remainder of their lives. (Wardle 2007, 67)

When someone suffers traumatic betrayal woundings the scars are deeply embedded in their emotions and often lead to inappropriate thoughts and behaviors that lead to unfortunate life situations.

The Traumatic Wounds Caused by Stressful Events are aligned with all wounds; no regard to age, status, or economic status (Wardle 2007, 63). These events most often happen without prior notice. Events such as the terrorist attack of the World Trade Center in 2011, hurricane Katrina, Columbine mass shooting,

76 an unexpected death of a love one, and most recently the Covid-19 Pandemic are all examples of stressful events which can cause traumatic wounds. The entire world has been impacted by the multiple strains of Covid-19. Where is God during stressful events like these when there is fear, loss, and a sense of helplessness while the ability to gather in community at churches has drastically been diminished? Regardless of the traumatic event, Wardle reminds us, “Jesus experienced great trauma beginning soon after his birth and continuing through to the cross. He stands ready to meet anyone and everyone in the painful place of the past” (Wardle 2007, 65). Thus, Jesus is acquainted with the stress we may encounter and is able to meet you in your darkest traumatic situation.

Anne Medaglia Halley has been instrumental in teaching that wounds have their origin in unmet core longings. Halley developed “The Heart/Hand of

God in which she used an open hand to illustrate the six core longings that include love, security, understanding, purpose, significance, and belonging”

(Halley 2009, 12). Core longings represent the blessings God provided to Adam and Eve prior to the fall. Today, we enjoy these blessings and provisions because Jesus reconciled us back to God through the crucifixion. Halley teaches, the need of feeling loved, secure, understood, and having a sense of purpose, significance and belonging comes from a direct experience of God’s presence which enable us to have relationship with Him and others (Halley 2009, 12-13).

Inner Healing Prayer

From Halley, we understand clearly that we belong to God and community because of His eternal loving kindness shown towards us, through Jesus Christ.

Regardless of how painful and hurtful our childhood experiences may have been, we can receive healing through the practice of inner healing prayer. According to

Halley,

Jesus alleviates the misery . . . entering into the actual event of suffering, sorrow and anguish, back to the child-place of pain . . . The experience of Jesus as one who sympathizes, actually feels the pain, is what changes the perception of the person receiving formational healing. When a person can be positioned to actually experience the truth and the awareness that Jesus was there and was loving. (Halley 2009, 14)

The response to the healing power of the Holy Spirit through inner healing prayer, is one such tool to bring wholeness and healing to a wounded soul. Inner healing prayer positions a person to feel and actually experience the very presence of God through the Holy Spirit stepping into their broken situation. For many persons of faith, the process of inner healing will be new and even seen as risky for those who have not experienced the healing power of the Holy Spirit in this manner.

The ministry of inner healing prayer is a healing tool not utilized by many

Baptist churches to date, however more pastor’s interest has peaked as they begin to seek alternative methods to bring healing to wounded parishioners.

Halley supports the use of inner healing prayer and the structures of healing model because, she has witnessed the lies and distortions the wounded person believed about God, themselves, and others be replaced with truth, forgiveness, and most importantly a new skill was learned to aide in one’s sense of belonging to God and others (Halley 2009, 14).

Charles Booth concurs with Halley, Siler and Wardle regarding traumatic wounds and recommends, “if you want to trace your brokenness, you must locate

78 your unhealed hurts, identify your unmet needs, and confess your unresolved issues” (Booth 2014, 106). He further believes that individuals through inner healing prayer can be stronger in their broken places, because of the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Brokenness is a reality of life, but through inner healing prayer people can experience healing, wholeness and a sense of freedom from the pressures of life and burdens associated with woundedness. We will now look more closely at inner healing prayer and the structures of healing model.

Before we delve too deeply in our discussion, we must pause to alert the reader that Inner Healing Prayer and Healing of Memories are operational terms that can be used interchangeably to describe the therapeutic prayer ministry of the Holy Spirit. This ministry of healing interfaces with wounded people at the core of their pain in order for healing of the mind, body, and soul to take place.

There are several pioneers whose research and experiences added tremendous insight and solvency to this unique ministry. This writer chose to compare and contrast the contributions made by David Seamands, Charles Kraft,

Betty Tapscott, and Terry Wardle to ascertain best practices and benefits of this prayer ministry.

To begin the discussion on Inner Healing Prayer, we will start with David

Seamands a noted practitioner and pioneer of helping the wounded find wholeness. Seamands states,

healing of memories is a form of Christian counseling and prayer which focuses the healing power of the Spirit on certain types of emotional/spiritual problems. It is one and only one of such ministries; and should never be made the one and only form, for such overemphasis leads to exaggeration and misuse. (Seamands 1985, 24)

It is important to note that Seamands highlights the importance of both Christian counseling and prayer. He boldly brings to light this form of ministry is not the one and only way for emotional and spiritual healing. The emphasis is placed on the power of the Holy Spirit and not the technical ability of the counselor. This thought process is very different in our counseling centers today. Seamands teaches that both counseling and prayer are necessary. More importantly, the mention of the word Christian denotes that the counseling principles should be based upon biblical principles and doctrine. The private counseling sessions will serve as the opportunity for the counselor through the aid of the Holy Spirit to discover and uncover any hidden hurts, unmet needs that could possibly prevent the counselee from getting to the truth/root of the pain in order to be set free.

The time of follow-up is crucial as the counselor and counselee will need to continue working with the Holy Spirit to insure permanent changes and will most likely require follow through (Seamands 1985, 24). Seamands states, “there can be no true healing and spiritual growth until we are released from painful memories and unhealthy patterns which now interfere with our present attitudes and behavior” (Seamands 1985, 24). As we will soon reveal, these attitudes and behavior are identified on the Structure of Healing model and emotional upheaval and if the behavior becomes unhealthy it would be considered dysfunctional behavior. The ultimate goal is for the counselee to become the “healed helper” and eventually be able to use their painful memories as a healing tool to bless others (Seamands 1985, 31).

Seamands also points out the importance of conversational authoritative prayer. He reminds the counselor to place emphasis on visualization, the use of the counselee’s sanctified imagination and pinpointing specific situations that caused the painful memory. Seamands adds,

this prayer time is the very heart of the healing of memories. It is in prayer that the healing miracle begins; without it, the whole process may simply be a form of autosuggestion, catharsis, or feeling therapy. This special time of prayer cannot be bypassed, if there are to be lasting results. (Seamands 1985, 27)

Being open and praying under the direction of the Holy Spirit will result in a beautiful partnership of trust and openness. In this matter, the Holy Spirit becomes the counselor and identifies the real root of the wound.

Charles Kraft uses the term “deep level healing” which can also be interchanged with the wording Inner Healing and Formational Prayer (Kraft 1993,

37). Close inspection of Kraft’s definition of Inner Healing is very similar to

Seamands’s definition. Kraft states deep-level healing is:

a ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit aimed at bringing healing to the whole person. Since the majority of human ailments are closely tied to damage in the emotional and spiritual areas, inner healing focuses there. It seeks to bring the power of Christ to bear on the roots from which such damage springs. Since these are often in the memories carried unconsciously by those who come for help, inner healing involves a special focus on what is sometimes called “the healing of the memories.” Specific problems often encountered are unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, rejection, low self-esteem, fear, worry, sexual issues and the like. Most of us could identify with several of the problems in this list. And many of us could add to the list. As humans we often experience deep levels of brokenness. (Kraft 1993, 37)

Although Kraft uses the term “deep level healing” the basic principles for Inner

Healing prayer is contained in his definition. Kraft’s use of the term healing of memories aligns with both Seamands and Halley. Specifically, Kraft agrees that

81 deep healing is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, is Christ-centered and focused on unveiling the source and root of the emotional and spiritual areas that need healing. He coined the process deep healing because the aim in counseling and prayer is to deal with the whole person. Kraft states, “deep-level healing is more comprehensive than any of the usual secular models of healing. It is also more personal and more focused on love. For we believe that healing is about loving people” (Kraft 2004, 41).

One thing that really sets Kraft’s model apart from Seamands is that his model encourages the use of doctors and medicine. He believes that doctors achieve some of their best work when flanked with the power of prayer. Kraft employs a holistic approach to healing but cautions both counselors and counselees that negative diagnosis given by a medical professional is best advised to be considered an opinion rather than a diagnosis because the power of God can heal any medical, physical, or spiritual condition (Kraft 2004, 43).

Kraft asserts that Jesus desires to heal at whatever level the counselee needs healing whether surface level which is physical healing or deep level which is relational healing. Relational healing involves healing spiritual relationships with God and emotional relationships with self and others. Through deep healing the wounded can reestablish their sense of belonging to God and within Christian community (Kraft 2004, 22). According to Kraft, the major benefit of deep healing prayer is,

we have often found that if we simply pray for a physical problem, without dealing with deeper issues, one of two things happen: either the person is not healed at all, or the problem goes away immediately but soon comes back to stay until the deeper issues are dealt with. (Kraft 2004, 22)

Kraft therefore agrees with Booth and Seamands that the root must be revealed and healed completely. The key principle is that problems that seem to be on the surface usually have a deeper root and must be disclosed and healed by the

Holy Spirit in order for the wounded person to be made whole.

Betty Tapscott is another seasoned wounded healer and pioneer who associates inner healing with the healing of memories as Kraft and others have suggested. She conveys that Inner Healing is the renewing and transformation of the mind and defines it by stating,

inner healing is the healing of the inner man: the mind, the emotions, the painful memories, the dreams. It is the process through prayer whereby we are set free from feelings of resentment, rejection, self-pity, depression, guilt, fear, sorrow, hatred, inferiority, condemnation, or worthlessness. (Tapscott 1975, 13)

Tapscott teaches the will of God is for people to be whole; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Her perspective on Inner Healing closely resembles the principles of both Seamands and Kraft. What is unique about Tapscott’s approach to inner healing involves two basic steps. The first step is to break

Satan’s bondage by reclaiming what rightfully belongs to all of God’s blood bought children namely the gifts of righteousness, peace, and joy (Tapscott

1975, 51-52).

In order to reclaim or claim an inheritance, Tapscott stresses that counselors must ensure that the counselee has accepted Jesus as their personal

Savior. When working with the wounded you cannot assume that they are a

Christian and have accepted Christ. This first step to helping the wounded is

83 critical because it leads to salvation or the person rededicating themselves to

Christ. Secondly, it confirms whether the counselee has faith in God and know beyond any doubt that they belong to Him. “If you don’t know, that you know, then by all means ask Jesus into your heart this very moment” (Tapscott 1975,

45). Tapscott believes, every child of God has been bequeathed an inheritance of righteousness which is the blessing of being in right relationship with God our

Father. He gives us peace which is the assurance that God is in control of everything that concerns us and through Him we are able to overcome any obstacles that would prevent us from knowing Him in the pardon of our sins.

(Tapscott 1975, 52)

Lastly, our inheritance includes the joy of the Holy Spirit. This joy is not limited by temporal moments of happiness, but it’s eternal and secured by the relationship we have with God as our Father. We have the privilege of worshipping the only true and living God who is aware of our emotions, feelings and thoughts (Tapscott 1975, 52). We are known by our great God and He loves us. Our inheritance of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit can help us defeat what Tapscott coins as the “nine foot giants”; namely, unbelief, resentment, rejection, anger, hatred, rebellion, depression, suicide, and unforgiveness. These giants prevent healing, wholeness, and spiritual maturity

(Tapscott 1975, 53).

Tapscott’s second step in the Inner Healing process is praying the prayer of healing. Similar to Kraft and Seamands, she encourages the counselor and counselee to travel down memory lane even to the point of conception so that the

Holy Spirit will reveal the initial point and place of brokenness. She stresses the use of sanctified imagination as does Kraft and Seamands. This practice is something that is not easily embraced especially for Christians who are preconditioned in their thinking. However, through prayer and the leading of the

Holy Spirit the counselor can encourage the counselee to seek God’s revelation in a new and exciting manner. Trust and patience is critical for this partnership with the Holy Spirit to be realized in the life of the wounded counselee.

Terry Wardle like Kraft, Seamands, and Tapscott incorporates the use of a multifaceted model of Inner Healing prayer that embraces a therapeutic and holistic approach when working with those who have experienced various kinds of wounds. According to Wardle, Inner Healing Prayer, is “a ministry of the Holy

Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver, bringing the Healing Presence of

Jesus Christ into the place of pain and brokenness within a wounded person”

(Wardle 2001, 13). As we unpack Wardle’s definition of Inner Healing Prayer we observe many similarities from his definition that are consistent with Seamands,

Kraft, and Tapscott. Their individual models place great emphasis on several integral principles which was common across their practice and experience.

Each author agreed on the significance of yielding to the lead of the Holy

Spirit with a counselor who orchestrates counseling from a biblical perspective. In a holistic ministry of Inner healing encouraging the counselee to use all resources that are available including seeking physical, psychological, and medical treatment is vital. Wardle shares,

A responsible caregiver should not jump to the conclusion that any single issue is causing a person’s problems. In fact, it is better in my view to consider a combination of factors, and endeavor to determine what may be the primary cause, and what may be contributing to the situation. With this information available, one can develop a plan to address the issue holistically, attending first to primary causes, then to the contributing factors. (Wardle 2001, 214)

Inner Healing is not a quick fix process and if patience and discernment is not utilized by the counselor, the counselee may continue to suffer needlessly. The counselor must have objectivity and work in concert with the entire team of professionals dedicated to the overall wellbeing of the counselee.

Secondly, each practitioner’s model of inner healing included a component on forgiveness. Forgiveness is a biblical principle demonstrated and taught by

Jesus. The counselor or caregiver should encourage the wounded to release and forgive anyone who has offended, mistreated, or abused them. The act of forgiveness is courageous and demonstrates maturity in the provision and protection of Christ (Wardle 2001, 207). Forgiving implies many things, Wardle shares these following truths worth noting when asking the wounding to forgive,

• Forgiving is not forgetting. • Forgiving does not release the offender from responsibility. • Forgiving does not mean the offended must be positioned to be re- injured. • Forgiving is not pretending that it never happened. • Forgiving does not mean it did not matter. • Forgiving does not mean that I release any desire for revenge, repayment, or punishment. • Forgiving means that Christ will give me strength to live with the consequences of the offender’s action. • Forgiving others flows from the forgiveness I have received in Christ. • Forgiving means that I recognize my own weakness and sinfulness. • Forgiving happens because of the blood of Christ, shed for me. (Wardle 2001, 207)

In forgiving, the wounded must be reminded to forgive themselves, because self- punishment at times can be more severe than what was experienced at the hands of their abuser. While all the Inner Healing models included forgiveness,

Wardle introduced another caveat to forgiveness which truly is a leap of faith and may cause controversy in some Christian circles. Wardle purposes that not only should the wounded forgive the perpetrator, themselves, but God. Wardle shares,

Christian victims who carry suppressed anger at God must be encouraged to go before Him and openly say what they feel. While maintaining respect and honor, victims need to express what is going on inside, even if their feelings are based on a lie. They need to get it out where they can tell God what they may have been suppressing for years . . . . God is the perfect parent! Infinite in love and patience He can take an emotional torrent …. He then through Scripture and the witness of the Holy Spirit reminds us of His perfect perspective. (Wardle 2005, 53)

This type of teaching on forgiveness is new and thought provoking. It can be a challenge to some who equate forgiveness with sin. When we sin we expect

God’s forgiveness for our sins. Why would God need forgiveness when by faith we believe He is sinless and is with us at all times? The answer to this question can only be received through the renewing of the mind. Seamands, Kraft, and

Tapscott all agree that the wounded should forgive everyone related to the incident including themselves. Wardle, however asserted that the wounded should forgive God. He asserts,

Christian victims who harbor suppressed anger against God must be Encouraged to go before Him and say what they feel. While maintaining respect and honor, victims need to express what is going on inside, even if their feelings are based on a lie. They need to get it out and tell God what they may have been suppressing for years. (Wardle 1998, 139)

This is a new dimension of forgiveness, that should be approached only with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Structures of Healing Model

The third common principle that all the pioneers shared was the importance of getting to the root or origin of the wound. They all agreed that the

Holy Spirit was the best instrument to use for discovering where and when the wound occurred. Wardle’s structure of healing model starts with addressing wounds, and progresses to uncovering lies that the wounded believes and the emotional upheaval that believing the lies create. Emotional upheaval lends itself to dysfunctional behavior which ultimately results in a wounded life situation. The model is a great tool for working with the wounded, Wardle states,

True freedom does not come because some counselor analyzed our emotional issues, then helped us modify our behavior accordingly. Revelation, release and restoration are activities of God’s Spirit. He often uses a caregiver as a channel of His work, but remember that it is the Holy Spirit who truly counsels and delivers. You must surrender to His activity in order to get to the root issues of your brokenness. (Wardle 1998, 59)

Once the wound has been identified Wardle presents another thought provoking exercise for the wounded to complete, namely grieving their loss before the Lord.

Wardle teaches wounds must be grieved regardless of how far in the past they occurred. As the wounded grieve their loss God responds through the moving of the Holy Spirit. This process also aids in the clarification of the origination of the wounding event. In some cases, the wounded receives revelation that God was present grieving with them. This exercise when administered with a spirit-filled caregiver and person who trusts the process leads to restoration.

The journey to Inner Healing using the Structures of Inner Healing can be an amazing tool when operationalized under the power and authority of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The paragraph below depicts each facet:

A Life Situation can lead to . . . . A Dysfunctional Behavior, which can lead to . . . . Emotional Upheaval, which can lead to . . . . Lies, Distortions, and False Beliefs, which leads to . . . . Wounds. (Wardle 2001, 137)

It is vital to note that there is a cause and effect relationship between each phase. Essentially, a wounded person will eventually believe lies that will affect their perception and cause emotional feelings of inadequacies that most often lead to dysfunctional behaviors and unfortunate life situations. Progression toward wellness cannot be made, until each layer of wounding and pain is successfully addressed (Wardle 2001, 136).

Wardle’s Inner healing process is composed of six practical steps, which include,

• Step 1: Bring the Broken Person Before their Heavenly Father • Step 2: Ask the Holy Spirit to Identify the Wound to be Touched • Step 3: Help the Broken Person Grieve His Loss Before the Lord • Step 4: Position the Person to Experience Infilling and Truth • Step 5: Encourage the Person to Extend Forgiveness • Step 6: Enable the Person to Embrace the Victory of the Cross (Wardle 2001, 196).

The wise and spirit-filled counselor will pick and choose what model benefits their client as wounds and individuals respond differently to techniques and practices.

It also takes time to develop a trusting relationship with people who have experienced wounding since they sometimes have trouble trusting after being violated or bruised.

According to Wardle, “once the healing process has begun, a person experiences an entirely new cause and effect relationship relative to their wounds” (Wardle 2001, 192) as illustrated below

A Wound can be healed with Truth . . . . Truth can lead to Peace and Comfort . . . . Peace and Comfort can lead to Empowered Living . . . . Empowered Living can lead to A Restored Life Situation. (Wardle 2001, 192)

One of the most important guiding principles of Inner Healing Prayer is that the counselor or caregiver should never rely on their own strength, ability, or skillset.

Seamands reminds us, “the ministry into which we have entered is the ministry of

Jesus Christ, the Son, to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, for the sake of the church and the world” (Seamands 2005, 9-10). The caregiver should avail themselves to regular spiritual disciplines that consist of a healthy prayer life, consistently reading the word of God, and reflection time in order to achieve spiritual maturity.

Summary

Pain, misfortune, brokenness and wounds unfortunately do not discriminate, but avail themselves in the finest to the poorest of homes with no regards to race, education, socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. We live in a world filled with adults that have never had their wounds from childhood healed in the presence of the Lord. The ministry of Formational Prayer has many titles and names depending on the practitioner.

Some refer to this ministry as Inner Healing, The Healing of Memories, and Deep

Healing. Regardless of the working title the primary work is the same to make people whole through the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Halley suggests,

many mature Christians have suffered as little children. Their view of God, self and world can be rooted in the unconscious area of early childhood experiences, that can significantly and powerfully affect the entirety of an adult’s life. The power of the Holy Spirit can enter the dark, secret places . . . to bring the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to heal the capacity to feel love and restore relational ability. (Halley 2009, 7)

It is evident that every wound needs to be healed regardless of how long ago the wounding event happened. More importantly, God can travel through the recesses of a sanctified imagination and bring relief and wholeness. Inner

Healing prayer provides an opportunity for the wounded to engage in a holistic approach which often includes full participation from medical professionals along with a spirit-filled caregiver. The objective of Inner Healing prayer is to connect the wounded person with the healing power of Jesus Christ through the Holy

Spirit.

The final section of Chapter Three will contain a review of literature on

Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Disciplines that contribute to the sense of belonging in Christian community.

Building Trust

Formational Counseling is a three-sided triangle approach to caregiving that synthesizes the disciplines of Christian counseling, spiritual direction, and inner healing prayer into a unified whole for the purpose of helping people journey towards Christian maturity (Wardle 2013, 1). Since ample discussion has already been devoted to the practice of inner healing prayer and the structures of

91 healing model, our focus will shift to building a sense of belonging when engaging with a spiritual director or guide. As ministers, we may feel that we are engaging in the ministry of spiritual direction. We often respond to countless phone calls, texts, and emails where encouraging words and prayers of comfort are given during times of sorrow and misfortune. Moreover, as servants of God we schedule appointments for one-on-one consultation to discuss private matters with congregants and provide follow-up meetings or calls to ensure that they are progressing along. Is this what spiritual direction entails? Although these activities may prove to be helpful, they do not begin to fulfill the requirements of providing the ministry of spiritual guidance. Spiritual guidance or spiritual direction is more than offering a prayer of consolation and providing consultation during a critical episode in a wounded person’s life.

Spiritual guidance and spiritual direction is defined as “the process of helping others respond to the journey of life in a way that invites personal transformation into the image of Jesus Christ” (Wardle 2004, 29). Spiritual guidance is not a quick fix remedy that transpires in a couple of days. Spiritual direction and spiritual direction is a specialized work of the Holy Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver to facilitate the awareness of God in a person’s life.

The goal of spiritual direction is to guide individuals by the influence of the Holy

Spirit to realize what and whom God has ordained them to be. Therefore, spiritual direction is a deliberate process that evolves over time (Wardle 2004,

30-31).

According to William Kirwan, imparting a sense of belonging is the most important aspect of effective counseling and spiritual guidance. The objective of this first step is to get the counselee to trust in the counselor and the process upon which they are embarking (Kirwan 1984, 121). What is belongingness?

Milton Mayeroff provides this description,

When the other is with me, I feel I am not alone, I feel understood, not in some detached way, but because I know what it is like to be me. I realize that he wants to see me as I am, not in order to pass judgement on me, but to help me. I do not have to conceal myself by trying to appear better than I am, instead I can open up myself for him, let him get close to me. (Mayeroff 1971, 43)

The counselee is more apt to open up when they feel they can trust themselves and their emotions to the spiritual guide. Building trust does not happen automatically, which is why both the counselee and spiritual guide must faithfully engage in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to create a trusting and open environment for healing to take place.

Kirwan suggests that there are four essential elements needed to ensure trust, the first is empathy. Empathy is different from sympathy. Sympathy implies sharing, while empathy tends to be used to mean having the capacity to imagine feelings that one does not actually have. The spiritual guide must be able to put themselves in the shoes of the counselee without judgement or imposing their own values or interpretation of right or wrong. Wardle agrees that empathy is necessary and shares, “the effective guide is able to empathize with those in deep hurt and approach guidance with sensitivity and care. Helping people through the challenges of life demands that spiritual guides show compassion for the hardship that people experience” (Wardle 2004, 36).

The second element that aids in the establishment of trust is genuineness.

The spiritual guide must be an open, honest, and sincere person interested in the betterment of the counselee. Transparency and forthrightness is key because it erodes defensiveness. In their quest to create an atmosphere of trust whereby the counselee can be themselves, the counselor must be willing to be seen as they themselves are (Kirwan 1984, 131). In addition to displaying genuine concern, it is helpful to have a sense of humility. Humility keeps the spiritual guide focused on Christ and dependent upon the presence of the Holy Spirit. By engaging the counselee with a spirit of humility, it becomes apparent that the spiritual guide is more concerned about what the Lord is doing or saying rather than their voice or plan (Wardle 2004, 35).

The third element that helps to create trust is warmth. The element of warmth implies that the spiritual director must esteem others but at the same time be able to correct and refuse unsatisfactory thoughts and behavior. Mutual respect for one another is vital to establishing trust, especially at the onset of the spiritual journey. The spiritual director endeavors in words and deeds to assure the counselee that although they have fallen they still have worth in the eyes of

God. Because of God’s unconditional love, no one is a zero, a nothing (Kirwan

1984, 136).

Kirwan’s final element to ensuring a level of trust and sense of belonging with a counselee is concreteness. While empathy, genuineness, and warmth are essential, concreteness must be applied by the spiritual guide. The counselee must feel that the guide hears and understands their situation. This issue is

94 circumvented when the guide employs good listening skills. The guide gains the counselee’s trust when they demonstrate active listening by sometime stating, “I am with you, I hear what you are saying, and I can feel you” (Kirwan 1984, 139).

As trust is built between the counselee and the spiritual guide, the Holy

Spirit creates a pathway for the real work to begin. There are many spiritual tools that the formational counselor or spiritual guide can use to help the person being guided mature spiritually while increasing their faith. The practice of spiritual disciplines is one effective weapon.

Spiritual Disciplines

Vashti McKenzie, the first African American woman to achieve the status of Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church desired to grow her church participation and members. God answered her prayers by instructing her to teach the congregants how to draw closer to Him by using the spiritual disciplines. She shares God’s plan for growth and provides this statement,

Let go of the process and trust God for the change you’re praying for. God helped me to understand that change is a process, not an event, and that Jesus is the change agent . . . . Working in partnership with God to help people draw out all that God has placed in them means asking God, “How can I get into the flow of what you’re doing so I can help others get to what you have placed in them?” It means I must first get into position through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Word, worship, study, giving, testimony, service, and healthy living that can lead to more faith in God’s power than in my own.” (McKenzie 2017, 5)

McKenzie’s congregation grew as a result of her leadership in practicing the disciplines with the members. The spiritual maturing of the parishioners also increased as they practiced what she coined the discipline of discover. Church members were encouraged to discover different ways to learn more about God’s

95 word. They accomplished this by attending Sunday school, participating in small cell group learning, and attending weekly bible study.

Wardle agrees with McKenzie that the practice of spiritual disciplines are activities that help God’s children experience His presence and opens their spiritual senses. Wardle believes embracing the disciplines position individuals to encounter God so they may better understand His will for their lives (Wardle

2004, 105). Further, spiritual disciplines are channels of grace and reflect the ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ (Wardle 2004, 105). Because there is a vast array of disciplines to choose Wardle suggest that the spiritual director or guide should prayerfully contemplate with the counselee what discipline would best help them in becoming more Christ like. He provides the following example,

The guide should help people engage in the spiritual discipline that most directly address the areas of weakness in their lives. One person seeking help might struggle with greed and power, and as such should be assigned the disciplines of sacrifice, secrecy, service and submission. (Wardle 2004, 107)

The disciplines of sacrifice and secrecy stretches and grows a person’s faith as they give beyond their ability while relying on the grace of God to supply their need. Secrecy requires acts of kindness without recognition. Acts of secrecy are reflections of God’s mercy and grace because the receiver does nothing to earn the gift given they are merely happy receivers.

Richard Foster took what is known as the Classical disciplines and arranged them in three separate groupings each representing a movement of the spirit (Foster 1998, 1). The disciplines are classical because they have been

96 practiced for centuries. Foster teaches that each movement contributes to a well- balanced spiritual life. According to Foster,

the classical disciplines of spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realm. They urge us to be the answer to a hollow world . . . . Disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our friends and neighbors. (Foster 1978, 1)

The Inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study lends themselves to personal examination and change (Foster 1987, 11). Prayer is the most central because it provides direct access and communion with our

Heavenly Father. Boyd suggest that we should engage in imaginative prayer which he refers to as “resting in Christ”. He contends, “resting in Christ emphasizes our fundamental need to rest in the truth---the truth of who Christ is and the truth of who we are in Christ---and to do so regardless of where we are spiritually” (Boyd 2004, 97). When we rest in Christ as God’s children, we are confident that He hears us when we prayer.

The Outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service grooms us to participate in the world and make it a more livable place (Foster

1987, 79). As we become more submissive to the will of God, we happily reach out to others without being asked, because the Holy Spirit directs our thoughts revealing how we can be of assistance to others without anticipating reciprocity.

The Corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration, bring us closer to one another and God when practiced in community. Of these four disciplines, confession is not typically practiced in many churches especially the African-American Baptist church due to the

97 tendency to judge and failure to show forgiveness. Confession is best practiced in small groups and with the understanding of confidentially.

Dallas Willard is another pioneer on the teaching and utilization of spiritual disciplines. In his approach, although similar to Foster, he brilliantly organizes the disciplines into two major categories. Concerning the use of the disciplines,

Willard taught, “spiritual disciplines, “excises unto godliness,” are only activities undertaken to make us capable of receiving more of his life and power without harm to ourselves or others” (Willard 1991, 156). The disciplines should be used to purposely grow and mature Christians so that they might be a demonstration of God’s love in the earth.

Willard categorized fifteen disciplines and placed them in one of two categories: “Disciplines of Abstinence” and “Disciplines of Engagement” (Willard

1991, 158). The Disciplines of Abstinence are solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice. These disciplines counteract tendencies to sins of commission, representing an immoral act considered a transgression against the divine laws. The Disciplines of Engagement are study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission (Willard 1991,158).

These disciplines are akin to our sins of omission and greatly stifle our growth and maturity in Christ. If we fail to read God’s Holy word consistently, avoid gathering with other believers and neglect to make prayer a part of our daily routine we risk maintaining our sense of belonging to God and community. When one is properly committed to abstinence it destroys the hold of improper

98 engagements which gives way for the spiritual soul to be properly engaged in and by God (Willard 1991, 176).

The use of the spiritual disciplines proved to be beneficial in helping

McKenzie, Foster, and Willard congregants mature in their dedication to Christ and their local fellowship. Some of the disciplines such as fasting, secrecy, and sacrifice benefits the corporate body, while other disciplines strengthen individuals personally. During this time of Pandemic outbreak, these disciplines can be used in small cell groups, as well as, personally in our homes to bring families together to experience God’s love and presence.

Building trust and engaging in the spiritual disciplines will result in a Christ centered disciple for Christ, which in turn will add another wounded healer to the

Kingdom of God. Building the Kingdom one disciple at a time is the urgent need for the world, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. Regardless of our challenges, God still bids His children to plunge into the deep recesses of His power and might. Miller invites us to experience the depths of God’s provision by plumbing ourselves in the ocean of His love. He suggests,

Deep is the dwelling place of God . . . . Most Christians, however spend their lives being whipped tumultuously through the surface circumstances of their days. Their frothy lifestyles mark the surface nature of their lives. Yet those who plumb the deep things of God discover true peace for the first time. (Miller 2000, 15)

Summary

Spiritual direction is another ministry tool that the counselor, pastor, or spiritual guide can use to engage Christians to embrace a closer walk with God.

It is instrumental that the spiritual guide develops a positive working relationship

99 with the counselee. A trusting relationship with the counselee can be established by incorporating empathy, genuineness, warmth, and concreteness when working with the counselee. The guide can further the counselee’s growth by introducing the practice of the spiritual disciplines. These disciplines when correctly and prayerfully engaged are designed to strengthen the counselee’s faith and establish a sense of belonging to God.

Chapter Four will review and discuss in detail the design, procedure, and assessment tool used for this discovery project.

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CHAPTER FOUR

DESIGN, PROCEDURE, AND ASSESSMENT

The purpose of this project was to discover the elements that influence a participant’s sense of belonging in community among a select group of

Christians who are disciples of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus,

Ohio. The research question was, what elements influence the sense of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are disciples of

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, located in Columbus, Ohio. Fifty-eight participants completed the paper assessment. After analyzing the data collected, I met with a small group of disciples from the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church to broaden my understanding of the survey results and the history of the church.

There are several elements that can contribute to a person’s sense of belonging to God and the Christian community. Being guided by the Holy Spirit,

I earnestly sought to discover those elements that made an impact on African

American Christians at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Womanist theologian Kelly

Brown Douglas, commented on the power and potency of the black church experience when she stated, “essentially the black faith tradition is as dynamic as the black experience is volatile” (Douglas 2005, 200). I agree with Douglas and it has been my experience that the black church is both unique and charismatic.

The Mt. Olivet Baptist Church is unique because the ministry focus is not driven towards acquiring members for the sake of being a part of a religious

101 organization. At Mt. Olivet, the membership goal is to develop Christ-centered disciples for the sole purpose of building the eternal kingdom of God. The church is charismatic and provides multiple methods and opportunities to participate in spirit driven services and activities. For these and many other reasons, Mt. Olivet was an excellent church to implement a discovery project.

The project goals were:

1. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community.

2. To discover how faith impacts participants’ sense of belonging to God.

3. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging to God.

4. To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in Christian community.

5. To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community.

6. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church.

7. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging to God is influenced by the pastor’s preaching.

8. To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during a crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community.

As I prepared to create the questions for the survey, I did a considerable amount of praying and fasting for direction from The Lord. While my own sense of belonging was the driving force for this project, the Holy Spirit cautioned me that this project was not necessarily about me, but rather for those who have been wounded and were in need of restoration.

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Mt. Olivet Baptist Church printed one hundred twenty-five surveys free of charge for the project. In order for the data to be properly interpreted and use it was exported into Excel. It took approximately two months to have all the data correctly placed in an Excel file which I will keep with the hand-written surveys.

To assist me with gaining further insight on the analysis of the survey results, I met with a small team of members to analyze the data which had been organized by goal and in order of prominence. The group consisted of one deacon, one trustee, two Sunday school teachers, one senior member who had been a disciple for 30 plus years, and one new member who joined the church less than two years ago and myself. The persons selected, were chosen at random, based upon their willingness to participate and involvement in various church ministries. During the two hours allotted for the discussion, the results of the survey was reviewed, and each participant share their opinions regarding the findings. The group discussion provided insight and helpful information to the project.

Context

The Mt. Olivet Baptist Church was founded on Easter Sunday in 1907 by thirteen members who were residents of an urban community located on the eastside of Columbus, Ohio. The current site located at 428 East Main Street was purchased during the year of the Great Depression in 1929. To date, it stands vibrate celebrating over 100 years of faithful service to God and humankind. From 1907 to this present time, the church as only had eight pastors

103 and boasts a great history of giving back and contributing to the neighborhood and those who live in Franklin county.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Charles Edward Booth has been the visionary, leader, and most tenured pastor since the church’s inception. The current membership is composed of more than 1,200 professional and blue-collar workers who are primarily African Americans. Most of today’s congregants do not live in the surrounding neighborhood, as former members once lived in houses near the church. A free transportation service is offered to anyone without transportation for Sunday worship or midweek Bible study. Since its inception,

Mt. Olivet has been a focal point for religious, social justice and community involvement with residents in the neighborhood and students from The Ohio

State University.

Under the leadership of Dr. Booth, Mt. Olivet is a thriving church with more than 40 flourishing ministries housed under Christian Education, Missions and

Outreach, Youth, Young Adult, and Music. An example of the array of ministries include: The Gloria S. Friend Christian Academy, African American Heritage

Institute, The Golden Agers, Friends of the Homeless, Hunger Outreach, Food

Pantry and Clothing Bank, Marriage Enrichment, Singles, and G.A.P

(Generations Adjoined Partnership) to list a few. The church is known throughout the city of Columbus for benevolence, but the members affectionately call it “The

Little Old Church on Main Street.”

This project is a reflection of my personal story; I was severely wounded in

Christian community and did not always feel that I belonged. The experience and

104 feeling of being disconnected in Christian community and to God is not a pleasant one. It takes strong faith and guidance from the Holy Spirit to find a place where one can live in harmony with others and God. The Mt. Olivet Baptist church was the fellowship that embraced me and my family. It was at this church that I learned the difference between being a disciple of Christ, as opposed to being a member of a church. Listed below is the Mission Statement that is recited by the disciples each Sunday prior to the offertory period.

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church seek to make Christ-Centered Disciples and is a Christian congregation committed to the New Testament faith as revealed and lived in the Lord Jesus Christ. We therefore: 1) Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, in faith, 2) Recognize that the mission of the body of Christ is essentially one of evangelism and discipleship which, in turn, gives birth to the ministries of Christian education, Missions, Services, and Social Justice, 3) Commit to a Christian lifestyle of sacrifice and services as reflected in Jesus Christ, thus, 4) Yield to Him our stewardship of time, talents, gifts and possessions that the Kingdom of God might be perpetuated and realized in our midst. (2017 Church Oracle page 2)

Each Sunday as these words are recited in unison I personally gain a sense of being in fellowship with other believers who are determined to live a

Christ-centered life. It is a constant reminder of my purpose and responsibility as a citizen in the kingdom of God, my local church community, and home.

Consequently, I feel that I not only belong to God, I belong to His kingdom which essentially is one in the same.

Participants

The participants for this project were the kind and loving people of The Mt.

Olivet Baptist Church. Each person was selected randomly by Thomas Weaver,

Celeste Cardwell and myself. Over the course of one and a half months a total of

105 sixty-nine surveys were completed, however, 58 participants fully completed all three sections of the survey.

Prior to joining Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, I had been a part of another ministry for more than 36 years. Having the experience of being disconnected in

Christian community lead me to investigate why others had become members at

Mt. Olivet. To gain an understanding of why members joined this fellowship I asked questions regarding the number of times they visited before joining and other questions regarding their feelings of belonging to God when they heard the preaching of the pastor. I believed that this information could be helpful when considering outreach activities to draw new members to the church.

All participants were self-selected volunteers. The opportunity to participate was made available to all church members who were at least eighteen years old. They understood that I was a seminary student and that the project was related to the sense of belonging to God and in Christian community. Of the sixty-nine collected surveys, only fifty-eight participants completed every question. For the purposes of this project the statistical data was based upon the answers of fifty-eight respondents. The incomplete surveys were not used.

Participants in this project were members who had completed the new disciple classes and were involved in ministries within the church. Many of the participants were a part of more than one ministry at Mt. Olivet. Several people asked to participate when they became aware of the project. They were given the survey and returned it as requested. Over all the response was great, and I

106 believe many people participated because they wanted to be included in a project that could potentially benefit the church. The participants ranged in ages from 25 to 80+ years. Specifically of the fifty-eight completed surveys thirty-nine of the respondents were fifty to sixty-nine years of age, while only five respondents were eighteen to thirty-two years of age. There were no respondents between the ages of thirty-three to thirty-nine. However, there was eight respondents between the ages of 71 and 80 plus. In total thirty-nine females and nineteen males completed the entire survey.

Although participation in ministry was important to this project, those who distributed the survey were newer disciples. Their knowledge of participants church involvement was limited. The demographics of the survey revealed thirty- one of the fifty-eight respondents had been disciples of the church for more than fourteen years. Most respondents were active in at least two or three ministries because, Mt. Olivet is very visible in the surrounding community providing a variety of services to those in need. I found Mt. Olivet to be a disciplined church that offers multiple opportunities to study and learn more about God’s Word.

Each participant was told that the survey would take approximately 10 to

15 minutes to complete. They were given the option of completing the survey at home, as well as, inside the church. The majority of the participants chose to complete the survey while sitting in the pews. Some asked that the results be shared upon the completion of project. Several people kindly declined to take the survey and expressed their appreciation for being asked. In total one hundred

107 twenty-five surveys were distributed, however, only fifty-eight surveys were totally completed and used for the project.

Procedure and Assessment

I developed a survey that utilized a 7-point Likert scale which ranged from

7-Very Strongly Agree to 1-Very Strongly Disagree, with a midrange of 4- Agree and Disagree Equally. The Likert scale measured the participants level of agreement regarding the questions that assessed the project goals.

The printed survey consisted of six pages and was divided into three sections. Page one was the cover letter. It introduced the project and explained that participation was completely voluntary. I also thanked each participant for completing the survey and assured them that upon final approval I would share all the results with the church.

Page two was designed to collect demographic information. I tried to gather data that would be helpful to the goals of the project. The participants were asked personal data such as, age, number of years at Mt. Olivet and the number of years they had participated in ministry at Mt. Olivet.

Pages three through five contained thirty-two quantitative questions. Page six gave each participant an opportunity to reflect more personally by asking qualitative questions. The qualitative questions were direct and asked what things influenced their sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet. The survey also asked if faith had influenced their sense of belonging to God and being a part of Christian community.

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The last qualitative question was designed to measure each respondent’s sense of belonging in Christian community based upon their relationship with

Pastor Booth. One of the unique things about the black church is the relationship between the pastor and congregant. The Pastor gave his approval of the implementation of the survey. He also encouraged the members to participate in hopes of using the information to strengthen certain ministries within the church.

Each time the survey was given to a person I was always available to answer any questions. Mt. Olivet has a quarterly church magazine which is entitled “The Mountain View”. My desire is to write a featured article on my journey to Mt. Olivet, how I found my sense of belonging at this fellowship, and the results of the survey. The church also embraces the philosophy of a culture of caring, which emphasizes agape love throughout the church. Within the physical walls of Mt. Olivet, there is a strong sense of I am my brother’s and sister’s keeper, therefore the data collected in this project should be insightful to ministry leaders within the church.

The survey was distributed in two different environments. The first distribution was in July during the summer Marriage Enrichment event. Although the name of the ministry “Marriage” is misleading, all married, engaged, and those who were in the dating phase of a relationship were encouraged to participate in the activities sponsored by the group. The ministry itself, was the brainchild of the pastor whose intent was to enhance marriages and provide godly principles for dating within the local body of Christ. The pastor had given

109 me permission to implement the project, and we agreed that this event would be the first distribution of the survey.

The ministry leader introduced me as a doctoral student of Ashland

Theological Seminary and gave me 10 minutes to talk about the project and the survey that was placed at each table setting. There were approximately 70 potential respondents at the gathering. I explained that completing the survey was completely voluntary, but greatly appreciated. For those participants that completed the survey during the event, they were instructed to place the packet in the large black box decorated like a graduation cap located on the stand adjacent to the desert table. If the respondent chose to complete the survey at their leisure, they were to return the completed survey to me in a sealed envelope by Sunday, August 31, 2017. Although the marriage event was a major success, to my dismay the event only yielded twenty-three completed surveys.

The second and most frequent distribution occurred each Sunday morning after worship service in July and August. The procedure in each setting was the same. Each potential participant was asked if they would be willing to complete a survey that would take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. If the response was no, they were asked if taking the survey home and returning it by

August 31 would be more convenient. If the response remained no, the person was thanked for their consideration of the project and another member was asked to participate.

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When a person was approached and agreed to complete the survey, they were thanked initially and asked to read the cover letter. Upon reading the cover letter, the participant was asked if they had any additional questions. The majority of the participants had no questions and began to complete the survey.

Of the sixty-nine surveys collected, only fifty-eight respondents completed all three sections.

There were many moments during this survey period that I was overjoyed. I became very excited when I realized that I had collected more than the required 50 assessments. Likewise, there were also weeks and a few months where I could not bring myself to work on this project because I suffered a great loss. In March of 2019, the pastor of the church transitioned to be with the Lord, and I never had the opportunity of sharing with him the results of the survey. My sense of belonging was affected by his passing. However, the one thing that has kept me moving forward was his approval and excitement about the project.

All of the questions whether quantitative or qualitative were designed to meet the goals of the project, which was to discovery what elements contribute to a person’s sense of belonging to God and in Christian Community. Each member of Mt. Olivet was more than willing to participate. There were eight people who took a survey but did not return it to me timely. I thanked them for completing the survey but I did not include their responses in the data.

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In the next chapter, the results of the survey will be addressed. We will review each goal’s score, the averages, and written statements given by the members of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

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CHAPTER FIVE

REPORTING THE RESULTS

The research question was, what elements influence the sense of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are disciples of Mt Olivet

Baptist Church, in Columbus, Ohio.

The design, procedure, and assessment that was developed for this discovery project was discussed in Chapter four. A survey was the tool used to measure the extent to which the eight project goals and the research question were accomplished. The survey consisted of thirty-two quantitative statements and four qualitative statements which addressed the stated project goals. Four- forced choice survey assessment statements were asked for each of the eight project goals. Four qualitative statements provided clarification and additional information across the project goals.

The survey results will be reported in this chapter in order of prominence and aligned to the goals they have been designed to measure.

Goal #1: Elements that influence Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked the highest was Goal #1: To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2).

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The average score for the four quantitative statements was 6.57, higher than moderately agree.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: Prayer has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#1). Reading the Bible has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#13). Partaking in

Holy communion has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of

God (#19). Being baptized has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#25). The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the survey statements. The Likert scale measures the degree of agreement. The results for goal one are listed below in table 1:

Table 1. Goal #1: Elements that Influence Belonging in Christian Community Statement Average Responses

1.) Prayer has influenced my experience 6.66 58 of belonging to the kingdom of God.

25.) Being baptized has influenced my 6.60 58 experience of belonging to the kingdom of God.

13.) Reading the Bible has influenced my 6.57 58 experience of belonging to the kingdom of God.

19.) Partaking in Holy communion has 6.45 58 influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God. ______Composite 6.58 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree.

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Statement one received the highest score 6.66. Fifty-six participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that prayer had influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of God. Only two participants responded agree and disagree equally that prayer had influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of God.

The average score for the responses to statement 19 was 6.60. Fifty-four participants responded very strongly agree to strongly agree that partaking in

Holy communion had influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of

God. Only three participants responded mildly agree. One participant responded agree and disagree equally that partaking in Holy communion had influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of God.

The average score for the responses to statement 25 was 6.57. Fifty-five participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that being baptized had influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of God. Only two participants responded agree and disagree equally. One participant responded strongly disagree that being baptized influenced participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community.

The average score for the responses to statement 13 was 6.45. Fifty-five participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that reading the Bible influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of God. Two responded agree and disagree equally. Only one participant responded strongly disagree that reading the Bible influenced their experience of belonging to the kingdom of

God.

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The survey discovered the agreement to which prayer, being baptized, reading the Bible, and partaking in Holy communion, influenced participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community is greater than strongly agree.

Goal #3: Elements that Influence Belonging to God

The goal that ranked second in prominence was Goal #3: To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging to God. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2).

The average score for the four quantitative statements was 6.35, a little higher than strongly agree.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: I experience a sense of belonging to God when I pray (3). I experience a sense of belonging when I read my Bible (10). I experience a sense of belonging when I attend worship service at

Mt. Olivet (18). I experience a sense of belonging to God when I fast (27). The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the assessment survey statements. The results for goal three are given below in table 2:

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Table 2. Goal #3: Elements that Influence Belonging to God Statement Average Responses

3.) I experience a sense of belonging to God 6.90 58 when I pray.

10.) I experience a sense of belonging 6.48 58 when I read my Bible.

18.) I experience a sense of belonging to God 6.24 58 when I attend worship service at Mt. Olivet.

27.) I experience a sense of belonging 5.79 58 to God when I fast. ______Composite 6.35 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree.

Statement #3 received the highest score 6.90. Fifty-three participants responded very strongly agree that prayer had influenced their experience of belonging to God. Four participants responded strongly agree. Only one participant responded mildly agree that prayer had influenced their experience of belonging to God.

The average score for the responses to statement #10 was 6.48. Fifty-five participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that reading the Bible had influenced their experience of belonging to God. Two participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only one participant responded very strongly disagree that reading the Bible influenced their experience of belonging to God.

The average score for the responses to question #18 was 6.24. Fifty-five participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that attending worship

117 service at Mt. Olivet had influenced their experience of belonging to God. One participant responded agree and disagree equally. Only two participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that attending worship service at Mt. Olivet had influenced their experience of belonging to God.

The average score for the responses to statement #27 was 5.79. Forty- eight participants responded very strongly agree and twenty responded strongly agree that fasting had influenced their experience of belonging to God. Six participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only four participants responded strongly disagree to very strongly disagree I experience a sense of belonging to God when I fast.

The survey discovered the agreement to which praying, reading the Bible, attending worship at Mt. Olivet, and fasting influence the experience of belonging to God is slightly greater than strongly agree.

Goal #7: Influence of Pastor’s Preaching to belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked third in prominence was Goal #7: To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the pastor’s preaching. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 5.99, very close to strongly agree.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on forgiveness (#8). I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on love (#16). I experience a

118 sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on hope (#24). I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on repentance (#32). The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the assessment survey statements. The results for goal seven are listed below in table 3:

Table 3. Goal #7: Influence of Preaching to belonging in Christian Community Statement Average Responses

24.) I experience a sense of belonging to 6.17 58 God when pastor preaches on hope.

8.) I experience a sense of belonging 6.00 58 to God when pastor preaches on forgiveness.

16.) I experience a sense of belonging 5.90 58 to God when pastor preaches on love.

32.) I experience a sense of belonging to 5.88 58 God when pastor preaches on repentance. ______Composite 5.99 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree.

Statement #24 received the highest score of 6.17. Fifty-two participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that preaching on hope influenced their experience of belonging to God. Five participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only one participant responded mildly disagree that preaching on hope influenced their experience to belonging to God.

The average score for the responses to statement # 8 was 6.00. Forty- nine participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on forgiveness.

Seven participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only two participants

119 responded strongly disagree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on forgiveness.

The average score for the responses to question #16 was 5.90. Forty- seven participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on love. Eight participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only three participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on love.

The average score for the responses to statement #32 was 5.88. Fifty participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on repentance. Only three participants responded agree and disagree equally. Five participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that they experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on repentance.

The survey discovered the agreement to which participants’ experience a sense of belonging when pastor preaches on hope, forgiveness, love, and repentance is significantly close to strongly agree.

Goal #4: Influence of Financial Contributions to Belonging

The goal that ranked fourth in prominence was Goal #4: To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in Christian community.

Four statements on the survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 5.27, slightly above mildly agree.

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The four quantitative statements were as follows: I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I give a 10th of my earnings to the church

(#4). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I give financially as often as I can (#11). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I am unable to contribute financially (#20). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I give more than a 10th of my earnings to the church (#28).

The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the assessment survey statements. The results for goal four are listed in table 4:

Table 4. Goal #4: Influence of Financial Contributions to Belonging Statement Average Responses

4.) I have experienced a sense of belonging 6.22 58 to Mt. Olivet when I give a 10th of my earnings to the church.

11.) I have experienced a sense of belonging 5.84 58 to Mt. Olivet when I give financially as often as I can.

28.) I have experienced a sense of belonging to 5.50 58 to Mt. Olivet when I give more than a 10th of my earnings to the church.

20.) I have experienced a sense of belonging to 3.98 58 Mt. Olivet although I am unable to contribute financially. ______Composite 5.38 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree.

As listed in the chart above, statement #4 received the highest score of

6.22. Fifty-one participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that

121 participants have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when they give a 10th of their earning to the church. Four participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only three participants responded strongly agree to very strongly disagree that they have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when they give a 10th of their earning to the church.

The average score for the response to statement #11 was 5.84. Forty- seven participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when the give financially as often as they can. Nine participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only two participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that they have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when they give financially as often as they can.

The average score for the responses to statement #28 was 5.50. Forty participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when they give more than a 10th of their earnings to the church. Twelve participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only six participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that they experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when they give more than a 10th of their earnings to the church.

The average score for the responses to question #20 was 3.98. Twenty- four participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that they experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although they are unable to contribute financially. Eleven participants responded agree and disagree equally.

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Twenty-three responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that they experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although they are unable to contribute financially.

The survey discovered the agreement to which contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in Christian community is slightly greater than mildly agree.

Goal #2: Faith’s Impact on Sense of Belonging to God

The goal that ranked fifth in prominence was Goal #2: To discover how faith impacts participants sense of belonging to God. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 5.22, a little above mildly agree.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: My faith strengthens my belief that I belong to God (#2). My faith does not impact my sense of belonging to God (#9). My faith is weakened when I feel that I do not belong to God (#17).

My sense of belonging to God has nothing to do with my faith (#26).

The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the survey statements. The results for goal two are listed below in table 5:

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Table 5. Goal #2: Faith’s Impact on Sense of Belonging to God Statement Average Responses

2.) My faith strengthens my belief that I belong 6.71 58 to God.

26.) My sense of belonging to God has nothing to *5.38 58 do with my faith.

9.) My faith does not impact my sense of sense *5.36 58 of belonging to God.

17.) My faith is weakened when I feel that I do *3.43 58 not belong to God. ______Composite 5.22 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree. *Reversed Scored Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Agree; 2= Strongly Agree; 3= Mildly Agree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Disagree 6= Strongly Disagree; 7= Very Strongly Disagree.

Statement #2 received the highest score of 6.71. Fifty-six participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my faith strengthens my belief that

I belong to God. Only two participants responded strongly disagree that faith strengthens my belief that I belong to God.

The average score for the responses to statement # 26 was 5.38. Twelve participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my sense of belonging to God has nothing to do with my faith. One participant responded agree and disagree equally. Forty-five participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree my sense of belonging to God has nothing to do with my faith.

The average score for the responses to statement #9 was 5.36. Thirteen participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that faith does not impact my sense of belonging to God. Only three participants responded agree

124 and disagree equally. However, forty-two responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that faith does not impact my sense of belonging to God.

The average score for the responses to question #17 was 3.43. Thirty-two participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my faith is weakened when I feel that I do not belong to God. Five participants responded agree and disagree equally. Twenty-one responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree my faith is weakened when I feel that I do not belong to God.

The survey discovered the agreement to which faith impacts participants sense of belonging to God is slightly above mildly agree. This scoring is due to the negative wording of three statements #9, #17, and #26. The reverse order scoring of these three statements changed the composite score of Goal 2: from

4.09 to 5.22. The statements totals were #9 (2.64), #17 (4.40), and #26 (2.62).

The reverse scoring also changed the order of prominence for this project goal from eighth to fifth place of importance.

The use of the reverse scoring methodology was approved by Dawn

Morton, Director of Advanced Degree and Program Assessment. In addition,

Christopher Swanson, Professor of Mathematics and Director of Academic

Honors Programs, and Adam Petis, Ohio Department of Medicaid equally concurred the use of reverse coding is not problematic. They concluded the sample collected for this project is not large enough to pursue more complex inferential statistic such as regression analysis, the sample is large enough to provide insightful descriptive statistics. In this sense, the statistics that will be

125 derived from the current analysis will be more in line with exploratory qualitative data analyses, which appear to be the focus of the Likert items in question.

Goal #5: Participation in Church Ministry Contributes to Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked sixth in prominence was Goal #5: To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community. Four statements on the survey addressed this goal (See Appendix

2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.56, significantly above agree and disagree equally.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than one ministry in the church

(#5). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than three ministries in the church (#12). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt.

Olivet when I participate in more than five ministries in the church (#21). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church (#29).

The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the survey statements. The results for goal five are listed below in table 6:

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Table 6. Goal #5: Participation in Church Ministry Contributes to a Sense of Belonging in Christian Community Statement Average Responses

5.) I experience a sense of belonging 5.76 58 to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than one ministry in the church.

29.) I experience a sense of belonging to *4.69 58 Mt. Olivet although I do not participate In any ministries in the church.

12.) I experience a sense of belonging 4.33 58 to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than three ministries in the church.

21.) I experience a sense of belonging to 3.45 58 to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than five ministries in the church. ______Composite 4.56 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree. *Reversed Scored Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Agree; 2= Strongly Agree; 3= Mildly Agree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Disagree 6= Strongly Disagree; 7= Very Strongly Disagree.

Statement #5 received the highest score of 5.76. Forty-eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than one ministry in the church. Six participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only four responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that I experience a sense of belonging to Mt.

Olivet when I participate in more than one ministry in the church.

The average score for the responses to statement #29 was 4.69. seventeen participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church. Seven participants responded agree and disagree

127 equally. Thirty-four responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church.

The survey discovered the agreement to which participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community is marginally greater than agree and disagree equally. This scoring is due to the negatively wording of statement # (29). Before reverse scoring, the composite score for I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church was 3.31 which is a little higher than mildly disagree. The reverse scoring of this one statement changed the composite score of goal 5 from 4.21 to 4.56. The reverse scoring also changed the order of prominence for this project goal from seventh place to sixth place of importance.

The use of the reverse scoring methodology was approved by Dawn

Morton, Director of Advanced Degree and Program Assessment. In addition,

Christopher Swanson, Professor of Mathematics and Director of Academic

Honors Programs, and Adam Petis PhD., Ohio Department of Medicaid equally concurred the use of reverse coding is not problematic. They concluded the sample collected for this project is not large enough to pursue more complex inferential statistic such as regression analysis, the sample is large enough to provide insightful descriptive statistics. In this sense, the statistics that will be derived from the current analysis will be more in line with exploratory qualitative data analyses, which appear to be the focus of the Likert items in question.

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Goal #8: Influence of Assistance During a Crisis to Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked seventh in prominence was Goal #8: To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during a life crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.47, significantly above agree and disagree equally.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church assisted me financially during a crisis

(#7). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church comforted me when I experienced the loss of a loved one (#14). I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church contacted me during my illness (#23). I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church provided counseling during a difficult time in my life (#31).

The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the survey statements. The results for goal eight are listed below in table 7:

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Table 7. Goal #8: Influence of receiving assistance during a crisis to belonging in Christian Community Statement Average Responses

14.) I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. 5.78 58 Olivet because the church comforted me when I experienced the loss of a loved one.

23.) I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. 4.59 58 Olivet because the church contacted me during my illness.

31.) I experienced a sense of belonging to 4.22 58 Mt. Olivet because the church provided counseling during a difficult time in my life.

7.) I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. 3.31 58 Olivet because the church assisted me financially during a crisis. ______Composite 4.47 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree.

As listed in the chart above, statement #14 received the highest score

5.78. Forty-six participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church comforted me when I experienced the loss of a loved one. Seven participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only five responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church comforted me when I experienced the loss of a loved one.

The average score for the responses to statement #23 was 4.59. Thirty- three participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree I experienced a

130 sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church contacted me during my illness. Nine responded agree and disagree equally. Sixteen responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church contacted me during my illness.

The average score for the response to statement #31 was 4.22. Twenty- eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church provided counseling during a difficult time in my life. Eight participants responded agree and disagree equally. Twenty-two responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church provided counseling during a difficult time in my life.

The average score for the responses to statement #7 was 3.31.

Seventeen participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church assisted me financially during a crisis. Twelve participants responded agree and disagree equally. Twenty-nine responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree that I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church assisted me financially during a crisis.

The survey discovered the agreement to which participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during a life crisis influenced their sense of belonging in Christian community is greater than agree and disagree equally.

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Goal #6: Influence of relationship with Pastor to belonging in Christian Community.

The goal that ranked eighth in prominence was: Goal #6: To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church. Four statements on the assessment survey addressed this goal (See Appendix 2). The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.56, considerably above agree and disagree equally.

The four quantitative statements were as follows: My relationship with

Pastor Booth influences my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God (#6). My relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God (#15). My relationship with Pastor Booth influences my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist church (#22). My relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church (#30).

The participants used a seven-point Likert scale to respond to the survey statements. The results of goal six are listed below in table 8:

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Table 8. Goal #6: Influence of Relationship with Pastor to Belonging in Christian Community Statement Average Responses

6.) My relationship with Pastor Booth influences 5.50 58 my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God.

22.) My relationship with Pastor Booth influences 4.31 58 my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

30.) My relationship with Pastor Booth does not *3.69 58 influence my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

15.) My relationship with Pastor Booth does not *3.53 58 influence my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God. ______Composite 4.26 N= 58 NOTE: Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Disagree; 2= Strongly Disagree; 3= Mildly Disagree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Agree; 6= Strongly Agree; 7= Very Strongly Agree. *Reversed Scored Likert Scale: 1= Very Strongly Agree; 2= Strongly Agree; 3= Mildly Agree; 4= Agree and Disagree Equally; 5= Mildly Disagree 6= Strongly Disagree; 7= Very Strongly Disagree.

As listed in the chart above, statement #6 received the highest score of

5.50. Forty-five participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my relationship with Pastor Booth influences my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God. Three participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only ten responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree my relationship with Pastor

Booth influences my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God.

The average score for the responses to question #22 was 4.31. Thirty- eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that my relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to the

133 kingdom of God. Seven participants responded agree and disagree equally. Only thirteen responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree.

The average score for the responses to question #30 was 3.69. Twenty- eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my relationship with Pastor Booth influences my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

Nine participants responded agree and disagree equally. Twenty-one participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree my relationship with Pastor

Booth influences my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

The average score for the responses to question #15 was 3.53. Thirty-one participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree my relationship with

Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God.

Seven participants responded agree and disagree equally. Twenty participants responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree.

The survey discovered the agreement to which participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church is slightly greater than agree and disagree equally.

Participants were aligned to agree and disagree that their sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church. This scoring is due to the negative wording of statements #15 and #30. Before utilizing reverse scoring, the average score for my relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God (#15) was 4.47 higher than agree and disagree equally. The average score for my relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense

134 of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist church (#30) was 4.26 which is slightly higher than agree and disagree equally. The reverse scoring also changed the order of prominence for this goal from fifth place to eighth place of importance.

The use of the reverse scoring methodology was approved by Dr. Dawn

Morton, Director of Advanced Degree and Program Assessment. In addition, Dr.

Christopher Swanson, Professor of Mathematics and Director of Academic

Honors Programs, and Dr. Adam Petis, Ohio Department of Medicaid equally concurred the use of reverse coding is not problematic. They concluded the sample collected for this project is not large enough to pursue more complex inferential statistic such as regression analysis, the sample is large enough to provide insightful descriptive statistics. In this sense, the statistics that will be derived from the current analysis will be more in line with exploratory qualitative data analyses, which appear to be the focus of the Likert items in question.

Composite Scores For All Eight Goals

The quantitative analysis of the participants’ responses revealed that the project indeed discovered what elements influence a participants’ sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who are members of

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio. The average score for the thirty-two statements is 5.35 (Table 9). This score is marginally above mildly agree on the seven-point Likert Scale used for project.

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______Table 9. Composite Scores For All______

Goal No. Name of Goal Average_____ #1 Elements that influence belonging in 6.57 Christian Community

#3 Elements that influence belonging to God 6.35

#7 Influence of pastor’s preaching to belonging in 5.99 Christian community

#4 Influence of financial contributions to belonging 5.38 in Christian Community

#2 Faith’s impact on participants sense of belonging 5.22 to God

#5 Participation in church ministry contributes to 4.56 belonging in Christian community

#8 Influence of assistance during a crisis to belonging 4.47 Christian community

#6 Influence of relationship with pastor to belonging 4.26 in Christian community Average Composite Score 5.35______

Qualitative Analysis

The four qualitative statements provided additional insight and clarification to the stated goals of this discovery project; specifically, what things influenced participants sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet and belonging to God. The qualitative statements also probed ways in which faith and their relationship with the pastor influenced a sense of belonging to God and in Christian community.

Each participant’s paper assessment consisted of four open-ended statements that were listed on the final page of the survey. These statements

136 were designed to provide additional information and allow each participant to share their personal thoughts regarding the subject matter.

The first open-ended statement was: List one or more things that influence your sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Please explain. All fifty- eight participants responded to this question. The results of statement one are listed below in Table 10:

Table 10 Q1. What influenced Sense of Belonging in Christian Community Number of Participants Response

24 Learning through Preaching and Bible study

18 Feeling of being loved and accepted

16 Fellowship and Relationship with others ______

The themes gathered from this question centered around feeling loved, being accepted, learning more about God’s Word through preaching and Bible study led by the pastor. One person wrote the mission statement of the church as a way of expressing what impacts their sense of belonging to the Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church. Respondents also shared being involved with various ministries within the church facilitated a sense of belonging to God as well as the local church.

The second open-ended statement was: List one or more ways in which your faith has influenced your sense of belonging to God. Please explain. All fifty- eight participants answered this question. The results are below in Table 11:

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Table 11 Q2. Ways faith has influenced your sense of belonging to God Number of Participants Response

25 Feeling God’s peace and presence through prayer

17 Faith increased by reading God’s Word

16 Trusting God during hard times

The themes that surfaced from this statement related to trusting and knowing God on a personal level. Faith was expressed as believing God regardless of what the circumstance or testing involved. Sixteen persons stated in difficult times their faith became stronger and they prayed more because faith in God through prayer kept them strong.

The third open-ended statement was: List one or more ways you contribute to the church that impacts your sense of being a member of Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church. Please explain. All fifty-eight participants answered this question.

The results from statement three are below in Table 12:

Table 12 Q3. Contributions to the church that impacts feeling of being a member Number of Participants Response

29 Tithing

18 Participation in ministries within the church

11 Capital Building Campaign and Missions ______

In general, the members of Mt. Olivet contribute and feel a sense of belonging by giving of their financial resources, personal time, and talent to keep

138 the physical ministry thriving. The church has a robust mission ministry in the city of Columbus and in foreign countries.

The fourth open-ended statement was: List one or more ways your relationship with Pastor Booth influences your sense of belonging in Christian community. All fifty-eight participants answered this question. The results of statement 4 are listed below in Table 13:

Table 13 Q4. Pastoral Relationship belonging in Christian Community______Number of Participants Response

27 Prays, teaches, and shows concern

18 Mentorship and Father figure

14 Availability and Transparency ______58 participants responded to this question. Pastor Booth was a great

Pastor who never failed to be concerned with the cares and challenges of the parishioners. Although he was well respected and admired many, one participant said, “while I respect Dr. Booth’s teaching and demeanor, I am grounded to know he is fallible, so my trust lies more with God.”

Conclusion

The quantitative analysis of the participants’ responses revealed that the survey indeed discovered what elements influence a participants’ sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who are members of

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. The qualitative responses seem to also suggest those things that influenced participants sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet and God. The ways in which participants contribute to the church and the relationship with the pastor also influenced their sense of belonging in Christian community.

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In Chapter Six, we will further discuss the findings and merge the literature review for each project goal. A review of each personal goal will be discussed, as well as conclusions regarding the writer’s discovery of belonging in Christian community. The chapter will end with concluding thoughts and plans for further study on belonging in Christian community.

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CHAPTER SIX

SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:48

My doctoral journey has been an amazing sojourn of faith, self-discovery, and awakening of the Holy Spirit within me. My desire was to pursue a Masters of Divinity however, the Ashland Theological Seminary recruiter said, “Yvette you already have two Masters, we have a doctoral program I would like for you to consider . . . . I said to myself, me, consider a doctoral program?” Ashland embraced me and saw something that I did not readily realize.

Just as I was getting acclimated with my coursework, God transitioned me to the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Abiding in Christian community became a breathtaking reflection of God’s love and mercy towards me. My belongingness at Mt. Olivet was secure, until the unexpected happened. The smooth road I traveled upon became bumpy. How could such a fertile place full of grace turn into a valley of despair?

My life seemingly orbited out of control when my father in ministry,

Reverend Dr. Charles Edward Booth completed his earthly assignment. The passing of Dr. Booth affected my sense of belonging tremendously. I initially started visiting Mt. Olivet because I felt a sense of peace while worshipping there. When given the opportunity to meet some of the women preachers outside

141 of the church, I felt more comfortable. My interaction with these women and other disciples of the church inspired me to further investigate what made these people sense they belonged in Christian community and to God. The disciples of Mt.

Olivet were very committed Christians. The women were warm and kind; no drama, just women living for the Lord. They were strong, intelligent women who truly loved the Lord. For once, there was no jealousy or competition. There was a sense of freedom in the service and the pastor freely allowed the women preachers to use their gifts to enhance the service. He even made recommendations and encouraged the women to preach, teach, and exercise their talents whenever an opportunity presented itself. In my opinion, the pastor was the perfect mentor for a young preacher, such as myself. As his health began to fail, he would still give God all he had and often say, “I’ve taught you how to live by faith, now I’m going to teach you how to die with grace . . . . You will miss me when I’m gone.” These words still ring in my spirit.

There were many days when I felt I just could not go any further. One day in particular I remember going in my prayer closet to pray. I asked God to anoint my imagination so that I could clearly understand my purpose. Within moments

God assured me that He had not left me, but I had to trust the process. During this dark period of time I reflected on Bloesch who suggests in times of darkness we must trust in His promises (Bloesch 1981, 66). What had God promised me?

Every area of my life was a struggle, work, the doctoral program, and spiritually I felt disconnected.

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Practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, solitude, fasting, reading my

Bible and meditating renewed my strength. God invited me to journey into the depths. Miller’s statement is true, “those who plumb the deep things of God discover true peace for the first time (Miller 2000, 15). I realized God was molding me to become a wounded healer. How could I preach and teach about mercy, forgiveness, and grace without being broken and then healed? God used everything to strengthen my faith and dependency upon Him.

The pandemic caused me to surrender totally without questioning the outcome. Thus, I learned how to trust His perfect will and timing. According to

Wardle, the first step to inner healing is admitting something is wrong (Wardle

2005, 24). I had to walk in my truth, and express my hurt and emptiness without reservation. Through prayer God revealed my initial wounding and took me back to my first experience of feeling abandoned, unsafe and unloved. Crabb stated,

our Lord is not restricted by time. He is our eternal contemporary who can walk back through time to minister to that hurting little child. Jesus can gather him into His loving arms, comforting and loving the child who so desperately wanted to be loved but never was. He can understand that little child who so intensely sought to be understood, but never was. He can reassure that child with the unconditional, accepting love he so acutely needed but never experienced . . . . Yes, Jesus, the tender and everlasting Shepherd, can gather the lambs into His arms and heal their tormented, thorn-filled memories. (Crabb 1999, 21-22)

There I sat at 59 years of age in my prayer closet crying out to God who assured me I am loved, safe, and enough. The memories of my childhood abandonment, dysfunctional upbringing, and mistreatment I endured by others became fleeting thoughts. What they did or did not do was pointless. I asked God to forgive me for doubting His plans for me and prayed for strength to forgive all those who hurt

143 me and abused my trust. God breathed new life into me, and this project. I discovered that in telling my truth, I belonged to God. I also discovered that every

Christian community, is not a healthy community. However, the Holy Spirit will lead to a place of safety where we can be our authentic self.

Now more than ever I am confident in my belongingness to God and in

Christian community. Tokunboh Adeyemo suggest “any true ministry involves being touched by human suffering and extending healing in word and deed”

(Adeyemo 2006, 1221). Those who travel upon the road of inner healing must be willing to abandon their own needs for the sake of others. The literature revealed that the healing process often takes detours and does not happen overnight.

Healing occurs in purposeful steps orchestrated by the Holy spirit.

This project discovered the beauty of practicing the spiritual disciplines corporately and individually. God so graciously manifested Himself during this

Covid pandemic. Many churches were closed, and people could not gather together in large numbers for fear of the virus spreading. The impact of the disciplines of fasting, prayer, sacrifice, and service became more prominent in my life as I experienced God’s presence in many sacred moments.

The project results, revealed the accomplishment of each goal. More importantly, the project birthed an inner healing ministry within me. I am being healed so that I might lead others to the healing presence of God. As Henri

Nouwen stated, “making one’s own wounds a source of healing, therefore, does not call for sharing superficial personal pains but for a constant willingness to see

144 one’s own pain and suffering as rising from the depth of the human condition which all men share” (Nouwen 1979, 89).

There is no need to pretend, I will never be perfect (Crabb 1988, 32). God expects me to come as I am even if that means I am bleeding, wounded, and riddled with issues. He uses all things to heal, deliver, and set us free from painful memories.

Project Goals

It is the purpose of this project was to discover the elements that influence a participants’ sense of belonging in community among a select group of

Christians who are disciples of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus,

Ohio. The research question was: What elements influence a sense of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are disciples of Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church, in Columbus, Ohio.

In summation, the assessment revealed the elements that influenced a participants’ sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who attend Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. The project goals were as follows:

1. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community.

2. To discover how faith impacts participants’ sense of belonging to God.

3. To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging to God.

4. To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in Christian community.

5. To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community.

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6. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church.

7. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging to God is influenced by the pastor’s preaching.

8. To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during a crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community.

The project used a seven-point Likert Scale ranging from strongly agree (7) to strongly disagree (1). Two of the goals scored exceeded 6.0. Three of the goals scored within the range of 5.99 to 5.22 and the remaining three goals scored within the range of 4.56 to 4.26 marginally above agree and disagree equally.

Each goal will be analyzed, beginning with the most prominent findings, followed by the remainder of the goals in descending order of prominence.

Goal One: Elements that Influence Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked highest in prominence was Goal One: To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging in Christian community. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 6.58.

This is .42 below very strongly agree. The following statements were used in the survey: Prayer has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God

(#1). Reading the Bible has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#13). Partaking in Holy communion has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#19). Being baptized has influenced my experience of belonging to the kingdom of God (#25). The respondents strongly agreed that the elements influenced their sense of belonging in Christian community.

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Practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, and reading the Bible whether individually or within a corporate setting strengthens the upward journey and relationship with God. Prayer and the study of the Bible are what Willard coined the disciplines of engagement. The disciplines of engagement strengthen our relationship with God and others. Mt. Olivet has a robust ministry of Bible study, small cells groups for discipleship and many opportunities to learn more about God and what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

Baptism and partaking in Holy Communion are the two ordinances of the church, thus representing our commitment to God and a local assembly. An ordinance is an act which has been ordained by Christ, which is practiced as a sign of commitment and obedience to Him (Grenz 1998, 235). Grenz states,

“baptism initiates us into the Christ’s church and seals our identity as God’s people…. our Lord has ordained a second act of commitment which we are to practice repeatedly…. Communion emphasizes the fellowship with Christ and one another that this act produces” (Grenz 1988, 240-241). When we are baptized and partake of Holy communion it is an outward demonstration of belonging in Christian community.

The data revealed and I conclude that the respondents believed they experience a sense of belonging in Christian community when they pray and read the Bible. Study is the primary discipline of engagement, if we earnestly want to engage God and develop a solid relationship we must devote time to reading the bible (Willard 1998, 177). Prayer and praying without ceasing helps us to invoke the presence of the Lord in whatever we do, thus our sense of

147 belonging is heightened as we are in communication with God (Willard 1990,

185-186). The observance of baptism and Holy communion also signifies belonging in Christian community.

Goal Three: Elements that Influence Belonging to God

The goal that ranked second in prominence was Goal Three: To discover what elements influence participants’ experience of belonging to God. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 6.35. This is .65 below very strongly agree. The following statements were used in the survey: I experience a sense of belonging to God when I pray (3). I experience a sense of belonging when I read my Bible (10). I experience a sense of belonging when I attend worship service at Mt. Olivet (18). I experience a sense of belonging to

God when I fast (27).

The purpose of this goal was to discover what element or spiritual discipline influenced the participants sense of belonging to God. Prayer and reading the Bible ranked highest in terms of the participants feeling a sense of belonging to God. The disciplines of prayer and study when practiced together initiates a sense of God’s presence. Prayer essentially is the Christian’s life line to God. It is the way we communicate our thoughts, desires, and feelings to God.

Anne Lamott, suggests that prayer essentially can be categorized into three prayer categories; Help, Thanks, and Wow. A prayer of Help is admitting that we need God to intervene in our lives (Lamott 2012, 39-40). A prayer of

Thanks acknowledges God’s kindness, mercy, and grace. It is a prayer of thanksgiving (Lamott 2012, 60). A Wow prayer is “having one’s mind blown by

148 the mesmerizing or miraculous” (Lamott 2012, 71). It was interesting to note, prayer is an essential discipline that is practiced at Mt. Olivet with fasting. The

Church engages in weekly Bible study and practices the discipline of fasting every Tuesday.

To gain further insight into survey responses, I held a focus group to discuss the findings because I was new to the fellowship and was not familiar with many of their practices. One of the participants shared their opinion that fasting may have scored below 6 (strongly agree) because it is a disciple of surrender and sacrifice. He shared,

You deny yourself food so that while you are fasting God can replenish and restore your spirit man. Your flesh must be under the subjection of the Holy Spirit, otherwise, you will not be committed to the call of Christ. Fasting is not for the faint of heart, it takes maturity and dedication to yield to the will of God.

This practical wisdom gleaned from this study will benefit mentoring new disciples.

Prayer is the discipline that scored highest in belonging in Christian community and to God. McKenzie suggests prayer is the way we stay connected to God and should be done daily. She suggests,

when you honor your relationship with God through daily prayer, you cultivate the foundation . . . . Building a strong connection with God will help you live with confidence that God is able to do with you and for you according to God’s word and your faith. (McKenzie 2017, 54-55)

During the pandemic, the opportunity to gather locally was restricted.

Experiencing a sense of belonging to God by prayer, reading the Bible and fasting assured me that these respondents did not necessarily need to be at a certain location or within a structure to sense that they belonged to God.

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The data and the group discussion revealed the participants engaged in the discipline of prayer as a way of demonstrating that they belong in Christian community and to God. Prayer is essential in the lives of the disciples of Mt.

Olivet Baptist Church.

Goal Seven: Influence of the Pastor’s Preaching to belonging in Christian

Community

The goal that ranked third in prominence was Goal Seven: To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the pastor’s preaching. The average score for the four quantitative statements was

5.99. This was .01 below strongly agree. The following statements were used in the survey: I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on forgiveness (#8). I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on love (#16). I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on hope (#24). I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor preaches on repentance (#32).

Preaching is a method use to communicate the Word of God verbally. I have been associated with the Baptist church since my youth. The small group shared that preaching at Mt. Olivet has always been the highlight of the service, next to the music ministry. Since the days of slavery, preaching has been the vehicle the preacher used to share the good news of the Gospel.

The respondents scored hearing about hope and forgiveness the highest.

Historically, hope kept the slaves dreaming about being free. They believed in forgiveness and hoped that God would free them from their oppressors. The

150 primary focus of the gospel is to share the message of hope and forgiveness through Christ Jesus. Although slightly lower in scoring the data revealed when the preacher spoke on love and repentance they did experience a sense of belonging in Christian community.

Hearing and responding to the Gospel is critical to both the believer and non-believer, especially in the day and times in which we live. O. Wesley Allen suggest the preacher has a difficult job. Preaching is more than reciting a text and adding interpretation. The preacher’s job is to preach in a fashion that the

Gospel is heard, believed, and lived (Allen 2017, 20). The preacher through the ministry of preaching must be able to influence, motivate, and encourage the hearers to live out what they have heard and believe.

Love, Forgiveness, and Hope are major themes that the participants heard the pastor preach. Fifty-two of fifty-eight very strongly agreed that when the pastor preached on hope they felt a sense of belonging in Christian community.

Forty-nine of fifty-eight respondents strongly agreed they felt a sense of belonging when the pastor preached on forgiveness. The study revealed forgiveness can be a struggle, especially when a person has been wounded.

Wardle, Tapscott, and Seamands agreed forgiveness is a pivotal step towards inner healing. They encouraged the wounded to forgive themselves, others, and in some cases God.

The literature review on forgiveness from Wardle’s perspective was challenging and thought provoking. Wardle provided an opportunity for the wounded person to forgive God and express their disappointment to Him

151 regarding their hurts. Many may possibly find this method of forgiveness freeing.

We are commanded to forgive, in order to be forgiven. Personally, I initially struggled with the thought of saying to God, “Father, I forgive you.” However, I have become more open to this level of forgiveness, especially when working with childhood wounding. Wardle reminds us that God is the perfect parent, “he can take an emotional torrent aimed at Him from a finite, limited, yet greatly loved person” (Wardle 1998, 141). God loves us deeply and understands our pain, even when we may express our disappointment and frustration concerning the harmful things of our past.

The survey discovered the agreement to which participants experienced a sense of belonging when the pastor preached on hope, forgiveness, love, and repentance is very close to strongly agree.

Goal Four: The Influence of Monetary Gifts to Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked fourth in prominence was Goal Four: To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in Christian community. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 5.38.

This is .39 above mildly agree. The following statements were used in the survey:

I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I give a 10th of my earnings to the church (#4). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt.

Olivet when I give financially as often as I can (#11). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I am unable to contribute financially (#20). I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I give more than a 10th of my earnings to the church (#28).

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Giving financially to the church is a principal taught to disciples as they enter into fellowship with Mt. Olivet. The parishioners are taught the principle of tithing, by which they give ten percent of their earning to the ministry of the church. There are many scriptures that relate to giving of our financial substance to the church. Giving is also a spiritual discipline of sacrifice, and an outward expression of gratitude and love towards God. McKenzie suggests, “when we put our tithes and offerings in the collection plate, we are acknowledging our trust in

God to provide what we need right now” (McKenzie 2017, 134). The literature review suggests giving says to God as I give back to you, I trust that all my needs are met. Giving increases your faith because you are dependent upon God, rather than yourself.

Fifty-one participants responded strongly agree that they felt a sense of belonging when they gave 10 percent of their earnings to the church. For some of the respondents giving did not increase their sense of belonging in Christian community. Only twenty-three participants responded mildly disagree to strongly disagree that they experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although they are unable to contribute financially.

Overall, the survey discovered the agreement to which contributing financially influenced a sense of belonging in Christian community is greater than slightly agree. Further, forty participants responded strongly agree to mildly agree that they have experienced a sense of belonging when they give more than a

10th of their earning. Therefore, the participants embrace the principle of giving for the advancement of the work of the Church. Mt. Olivet happens to be a

153 thriving church in the center of the Black community. During the pandemic, the church was consistent with distributing food, paying utility bills, and rent for members and non-members. The Church was able to engage in these activities because of the faithful giving of the members.

Goal Two: Faith’s Impact on Sense of Belonging to God

The goal that ranked fifth in prominence was Goal Two: To discover how faith impacts participants sense of belonging to God. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 5.22. This is .22 above mildly agree. The following statements were used in the survey: My faith strengthens my belief that

I belong to God (#2). My faith does not impact my sense of belonging to God

(#9). My faith is weakened when I feel that I do not belong to God (#17). My sense of belonging to God has nothing to do with my faith (#26).

Faith has been one of the guiding themes associated with this project.

Jesus said to the woman with the issue of blood, Daughter, your faith has made you whole (Luke 8:48). In essence, Jesus was saying to the woman, what she believed about Him and what she believed He was capable of doing for her, healed her. Faith has been defined by Dunn as putting hope, trust, and confidence in God. Bloesch stated “faith is a knowing in the midst of unknowing”

(Bloesch 1967, 48). From this study, we can infer that faith is putting our hope and trust in God, to the point of believing He will respond. God is aware of our dependency upon Him.

When the respondents were asked if their faith strengthens their belonging to God, fifty-six participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree. This

154 number overwhelmingly shows that faith impacts one’s sense of belonging to

God. Questions 9,17, and 26 were determined to be worded negatively. In order to adjust for this error, these three questions were reversed scored. The reverse order scoring of these three statements changed the composite score of Goal 2 from 4.09 to 5.22. The reverse scoring also changed the order of prominence for this project goal from eight to fifth place of importance.

The survey discovered the agreement to which faith impacts participants sense of belonging to God is slightly above mildly agree. The lowest average score was question 17, where participants mildly disagreed that their faith is weakened when they feel they do not belong to God. As we mature in Christ, we learn that real faith is not based upon what we feel, rather upon what we know.

We are assured that we belong to God through His word and by faith.

Goal Five: Participation in Church Ministry Contributes to Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked sixth in prominence was Goal Five: To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.56.

This is .56 above agree and disagree equally. The following statements were used in the survey: I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than one ministry in the church (#5). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in more than three ministries in the church (#12). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when I participate in

155 more than five ministries in the church (#21). I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church (#29).

The discipline of service leads to humility and generosity. This goal helped to understand what Foster described as towel ministry, when Jesus gladly washed the feet of the disciples prior to serving them the last supper. In many churches, the same people are spread across multiple ministries because people do not volunteer for a number of reasons. The scores varied for this goal, primarily because many of the leaders feel burned out. The group discussion revealed, many of the participants have been in leadership positions at the request of the pastor. They were not elected by the members of the group. There were feelings of obligation to the pastor by some, as opposed to a sheer desire to fulfill a leadership position.

Question #29 had to be reversed because it contained a negative statement. Once it was rescored, it became the second ranked question which represented the sentiments of many of the persons who volunteered to complete the survey, but choose not to participate in any ministries within the church.

Thirty-four responded mildly disagree to very strongly disagree, I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church. Many participants boldly expressed, “I feel that I belong to the church, even though I do not participate in any ministries.” Another surprising finding was revealed by the low scoring of those who participated in five ministries or more. Participating in more ministries did not result in a higher sense of belonging to the church.

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The data revealed the agreement to which participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of belonging in Christian community is marginally greater than agree and disagree equally. Before the reverse scoring, the composite score for question 29) I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although I do not participate in any ministries in the church was 3.31, which is marginally higher than mildly agree. The reverse scoring of this one statement changed the composite score of goal 5 from 4.21 to 4.56. The reverse scoring also changed the order of prominence for this goal from seventh place to sixth place of importance.

Goal Eight: Influence of Assistance During a Crisis to Belonging in Christian Community

The goal that ranked seventh in prominence was Goal Eight: To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during a life crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.47. This is .53 below mildly agree.

The following statements were used in the survey: I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the church assisted me financially during a crisis

Mt. Olivet is a very loving church and promotes a mode of operation known as a culture of caring. Whenever someone suffers a loss or make known

157 an urgent need, it is the collective responsibility of the church to address the situation. The leadership of the church ensures that the matter is addressed, and provides whatever assistance is needed to mitigate the problem. The Shultz’s described the act of going up and beyond the usual protocols as displaying radical hospitality.

Mt. Olivet has an amazing bereavement ministry model that can be utilized by any disciple of the church. The services provided include but are not limited to planning the service, printing the programs, providing a repast, arranging counseling and the recommendation of mortuary if needed. It is also important to note that the low score of question #7 is primarily due to members not having the need of receiving financial assistance from the Church. Seventeen participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that I experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because the Church assisted me financially during a crisis. The Church does place limits on how much and how often benevolence can be received by an individual. In many instances the pastor, contributed from his own personal resources to assist those in need. The idea and practice of the culture of caring model was created by the pastor.

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Goal Six: Influence of relationship with Pastor to belonging in Christian

Community

The goal that ranked eighth in prominence was: Goal Six: To discover how participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community is influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church. The average score for the four quantitative statements was 4.26. This is .26 above agree and disagree equally. The following statements were used in the survey: My relationship with

This goal was designed to gage if participants felt their relationship with the pastor influenced their sense of belonging in Christian community. When asked if their relationship influenced their sense of belonging to the kingdom of

God (#6), forty-five of fifty-eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree, these participants indicate that their pastoral relationship matters to their sense of belonging to the kingdom of God. When asked if the relationship with the pastor influenced their sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet (#22), thirty-eight participants responded very strongly agree to mildly agree that the pastoral relationship matters to their sense of belonging to the local church. It appears that the pastoral relationship is valued more in terms of belonging to the kingdom of God, rather than the local assembly.

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Kirwan reminds us the lack of faith can be traced to those who do not believe they belong. Specifically, he stated, “belongingness is an awareness that one is an important part of something. Basic trust is cultivated by the feeling that one is part of other and able to rely on them” (Kirwan 1984, 101). I was told by the small group that the pastor instituted the culture of caring model for this purpose. He ensured everyone understood that they were a part of the kingdom of God. He desired that each disciple realized their value and worth to the local ministry. Further, I believe that he preached the way he did, so that people would hear, believe, and then live according to God’s word to the best of their ability.

Questions #15 and #30 were rescored due to the negative wording.

Before utilizing reverse scoring, the average score for my relationship with Pastor

Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God (#15) was 4.47 higher than agree and disagree equally. The average score for my relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence my sense of belonging to Mt.

Olivet Baptist church (#30) was 4.26. This is slightly higher than agree and disagree equally. One respondent wrote, “while I respect Dr. Booth’s teaching and demeanor, I am grounded to know he is fallible, so my trust lies more with

God.” I wholeheartedly agree with this comment. We must know that we know we belong to God, despite having a relationship with the pastor. The reverse scoring changed the order of prominence for this goal from fifth place to eighth place of importance.

I too valued and treasured my relationship with Pastor Booth. However, in his passing I was compelled to practice various disciplines not because I was

160 instructed to, but because they became a necessity. I desired more from God, and I needed to feel His power and presence in my life. Therefore, I modeled what I saw my pastor do to gain a more intimate relationship with God.

The project revealed that the pastor was held in high esteem by some.

One of the respondent summed their relationship in this manner, “I view Pastor as God’s emissary in our midst. He has the ability to make me feel that God is near and his preaching encourages me to want to get closer to God.”

The survey revealed the agreement to which participants’ sense of belonging in Christian community and the kingdom of God was influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church is slightly greater than agree and disagree equally.

Application

Upon the completion and approval of my dissertation, this information will be shared with the leadership of the church, the newly elected pastor, and those who participated in the small work group. The study revealed what participants need to feel that they belong to God and in Christian community. With minor changes, I believe that it could be an excellent tool that highlights why people have chosen to be a member of any congregation.

It demonstrates what some respondents felt about participating in various church ministries, giving financially, and what makes them feel that they belong in Christian Community. From the data, I did find instances where respondents demonstrated that they felt they belonged to God but did not participate in any ministry within the church. This was troublesome to me, as the literature review

161 revealed people willing participate when they feel they belong. The survey indicated that a person can be certain of their belongingness to God, but struggle in Christian community. Likewise, there may be those who view belonging to God and Christian community as one and the same.

The literature review was helpful in defining Christian community and what essential elements are needed to establish a genuine community of love.

The church leadership can gain insight from this project to glean what is needed to make people feel welcomed, wanted, and accepted as their authentic self at

Mt. Olivet. I personally believe this will present some challenges. The church leadership may not want to create an atmosphere within that is conducive for accepting people as they are. Likewise, as a parishioner I should question is this the safest place for me? Is this church a place I can belong regardless of the texture of my hair, the shape of my nose, my race, gender, sexual preference or ability to financially give?

The Church recently elected a new pastor and I would like an opportunity to discuss many of the findings with him, especially the questions related to involvement in ministry and giving. It was insightful to learn how people feel about giving. The majority of the respondents did not present any issues related to giving. However, during the panel discussion, it was mentioned that the church operates on the consistent giving of only twenty percent of the church membership. This was substantiated by the members who responded they feel they belong regardless if they do not financially contribute to the church.

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During the pandemic, I was compelled to give more financially, because I became aware of so many who had far less than myself. I started a ministry entitled “Soul Food Thursday” where I prepared meals for the homeless and several elderly congregants of Mt. Olivet. When we totally engage in the spiritual disciplines our desire for ourselves gives way to the needs of others.

In researching this text, none of the gospel writers provided the name of the woman, there were only speculations. As I meditated before the Lord, I inquired why neither author revealed her name and the actual words she spoke.

The Spirit said to me, “the woman’s name was omitted so that you and every other woman bound with issues can insert your name and voice into the text!”

For this reason, I feel led to create a series of sermons, and may author a book.

Further Study

I endeavored to include several African American authors. However, I wish my survey would have been more inclusive to the kingdom of God and not one church or one denomination. While, I personally struggled with being in a certain Christian community, I never stopped loving God nor the people of God. I basically had issues with being looked over because of favoritism. I feel confident in saying that favoritism happens to some degree in every church. The reality of serving God instead of man becomes a blessing when your gifts make room for you.

When competition blocks your view, one may feel that they do not belong in community and to God. This is why you must keep your mind refreshed with

God’s word and not rely on mere feelings. I knew that I belonged to God, my

163 problem was fitting in Community where I became distracted by what others thought as opposed to what God’s word said. All Christian communities, really are not as Christian as they portray themselves to be. It would have been interesting to get the opinions of other denominations experience with belonging.

Surveying other religious faiths, such as Methodist, Church of God in Christ,

Presbyterian and other nondenominational groups may have reveal commonalities.

I examined the gender of the surveyed participants and discovered that thirty-nine of the respondents were female, while only nineteen where male.

Cheryl Townsend said, “if it wasn’t for women, you wouldn’t have a church!”

(Townsend 2001, 1). In many regards, this may be true. However, I am intrigued with the potential of an all-male review of the survey. It is difficult to get African

American men involved in church, therefore it would be interesting to discover what belonging to God and Christian community mean to African-American males.

Perhaps this tool could be used to survey men who once participated in church, or men who have never been active in church. Do they believe that they belong to God? Do they need a Christian community? And what prevents them from belonging to God or a Christian community? These are areas of interest that can be developed from the insights gained by this project.

Inner Healing is such a needed ministry, I am interested in the results of an Impact study on belonging and inner healing. Would this type of ministry fit into a church such as Mt. Olivet? The thought of sanctifying one’s imagination

164 may take some thought and creativity to be accepted. I do see a need for inner healing due to the Covid pandemic. People struggle with the loss of freedom to worship at church, restrictions in physically embracing one another, and the reality of the many lives that have been lost. Inner healing is greatly needed because families have been destroyed and lost their faith. People have lost their faith, and belonging for some is a faded memory.

Personal Goals

Goal One: To gain a closer relationship with God through spiritual disciplines; in hopes of better understanding His plan for me regarding inner healing ministry.

For many years I took for granted the value of fasting and praying. I would casually fast and pray out of obedience because the Bishop or Pastor called a fast for the New Year, or because someone in the church was sick and we needed God to do what Anne Lamott would classify as WOW! The Covid-19 pandemic taught me how to survive through the use of various spiritual disciplines. When my pastor passed for more than six months I felt my worse sense of belongingness.

During this time, I was compelled to draw closer to God. I read Luke 8:40-

48 daily and fasted at least two to three times a week. It was during these special occasions that God revealed to me my assignment, I am a wounded healer, to convey God’s love and forgiveness to those who have been abandoned, overlooked, and misunderstood. My mission is clear and I will bring healing to others through the practice of inner healing prayer and preaching the gospel of

Jesus Christ. God’s truth will set the captives free.

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The pandemic proved to me that God is always with me, and I did not need a church building to feel His presence. More importantly, during this time of reflection, God revealed the importance of family. The woman with the issue of blood had family, but they could not associate with her without being classified as unclean. During the pandemic, I regained a love and appreciation for my family.

God added to our family, and I am now the proud grand-mere of Hope Ali my first grandchild. Hope is a miracle baby and has bought our family together to pray and fast for her full healing. Each time we gather, I tell the story of the woman who dared to get in the crowd to touch Jesus. I will keep telling her story to encourage others to seek Jesus for wholeness mind, body, and soul.

Goal Two: To become a more consistent reader of God’s word to experience a

better understanding of faith.

Over the past three years I have made a consistent effort to read God’s word on a consistent basis. My morning devotion has consisted of prayer, reading my Bible, and listening to gospel instrumental music. While writing my dissertation, I often began my day by repeating scriptures of affirmation. My favorite scripture that has encouraged my faith is Ephesians 3:20 which states,

“Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” By faith I imagine God doing Wow! things through me for His eternal glory. By faith, I know that I am a beloved daughter of God. These revelations were confirmed as I studied and read the infallible word of God.

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When I started this doctoral program, I had no idea of how God would stretch my faith. I stand amazed at what I have accomplished trusting God.

Through reading my Bible, I now understand what it means to be more than a conqueror. Jesus conquered everything I would ever need when He went to

Calvary. The experience of knowing Jesus as my Savior has been magnified during this process. He has given me such a boldness that it hard to explain. I do not allow Satan to destroy my joy, because I realize that whatever trail I face, I will eventually get through it, because I belong to God and He has placed me in a wonderful Christian community. Zuke, sums it up for me by stating,

To give over all meant being willing to leave all earthly ties behind for a new set of relationships, namely, the one God calls for through Jesus. So Jesus noted that although a disciple lost a family, what was gained was a new family, along with eternal life. (Zuke 1994, 136)

Have I lost much following Jesus? No, I have gained so much as a disciple of Mt.

Olivet Baptist Church. Is everything perfect? No, only God is perfect, but I have experienced perfect peace when I am in His presence. Have I matured? Yes!

God has been my faithful Father, and I am thankful for my confirmation that I belong to Him as a disciple of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

Concluding Thoughts

I am so grateful for this journey of belonging and faith. The project took on a life of itself, once I totally surrendered to God. The Lord worked the project through me. I felt the isolation, abandonment, and frustration of the bleeding woman. Writing during the pandemic caused me to be totally dependent upon

The Holy Spirit. I had to wait patiently, to hear God speak. Writing was extremely

167 difficult in my own strength. However, as I engaged in fasting and prayer, God filled every page. What I could not accomplish in weeks, the Spirit did in days.

The project gave me my voice, I will use this experience to encourage others, especially when sharing my faith. I have a better understanding of what faith in God really mean. In my experience, having faith is acknowledging that you are not the smartest, strongest, and best person for the task, but believe God can still give you good success because you are dependent on His grace. It was through the implementation and literature review required for this project that I discovered my purpose. I have been empowered to speak my truth and lead others to Christ.

I plan to write a series of sermons on the woman with the issue of blood as depicted by each gospel writer. My ultimate goal is to join the Olive branch counseling ministry of the church and develop a workshop on inner healing based on the Luke 8:40-48. The woman’s courage, faith, tenacity, and diligence to seek healing, is a story worth telling.

As I begin the ministry of being a wounded healer, I invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit. Luke 9:2 states, “and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal,” this is my desire. When my life journey is completed, I want

God to be pleased with what I have gained and shared through my journey of faith.

Finally, I plan to share the results in an open forum at the church, through the quarterly publication of The Mountain View, which is a magazine that highlights pertinent information for the parishioners of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

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When shared with the church at large, I would hope that we would display more

Hilarity as Marva J. Dawn suggests throughout the church and kingdom of God.

The project and process revealed God’s heart towards me. I will forever be indebted to so many who travel with me. The Lord’s ways are mysterious, but

He proves Himself to be the faithful Savior who watches over all. For this reason,

I have vowed to be a vessel of healing especially to those who feel that they do not belong in Christian community. I am the evidence that God can restore, replenish, and replant you in a safe place in Christian community. By faith, God has assured me that I belong.

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Appendix One: Proposal

A PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE TO DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY YVETTE S. WEAVER

ASHLAND, OHIO APRIL 10, 2017

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Purpose Statement

It is the purpose of this project to discover the elements that influence a participants' sense of belonging in community among a select group of Christians who are members of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio. The research question is: What elements influence the core longing of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are members of Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church, in Columbus, Ohio.

Overview

The primary focus of this project is to discover the elements that influence the core longing of belonging in community, amongst a select group of African

Americans who attend Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, in Columbus, Ohio. For 36 years I was a member of a Christian fellowship but longed to feel and experience

Christian love, understanding and significance within a local church. God has freely given the gift of salvation through faith. This “faith” should not be predicated upon what we feel nor what we experience, rather “faith” should be rooted and grounded completely on the infallible word of God. Therefore, each participant will complete a handwritten assessment tool to discover how and if faith influences their sense of belonging in community. It will be my sole responsibility to assess the results of each survey by using a compilation tool approved by Ashland.

Just as we are confident of our relationship and belongingness to God, we similarly should be able to experience a sense of belonging in Christian

171 community. This project has been designed to discover what elements influence the core longing of belonging in Christian community. Specifically, the project will explore:

1) What causes a Christian to perceive that they belong to God?

2) What influences a Christian to feel a sense of belongingness to the Mt.

Olivet Baptist Church?

3) Does having a relationship with the pastor influence one’s faith and

sense of belonging within the local church.

It is my hope that through this discovery project I will gain insight to develop a resource tool and small group format for helping African Americans address core longing deficits with specific emphasis on belonging in Christian community.

Foundations

When I walked upon The Ohio State University west campus in August of

1991 to begin my undergraduate studies in accounting, I received the shock of my life. As an incoming freshman, my math and sociology classes were held in an auditorium that seated over 350 students. I immediately felt overwhelmed because there were more students in these classes than my senior high school graduating class. As I looked around the auditorium, there were only a few

African American students, but I did not know any of them. After the first week of classes I resolved that there would be issues. I recognized that although I was accepted as a student, I really did not fit within the dominant culture.

Many of the issues I faced resulted from racism, discrimination, and my inability to fight back. As I ponder on many of the wounds I received in college, I

172 now realize that in many ways I was not prepared for attending The Ohio State

University because I did not have anyone from my immediate family to provide emotional support. The most valuable thing that I possessed was my faith in

God, my desire to make my parents proud, and a church family who instilled in me that I could accomplish my heart’s desire through faith in God. I believed if I tried, I would eventually overcome any and all obstacles that would possibly hinder me. Thus, every night I prayed a simple prayer:

Dear God, please help me to be a good girl, help me to get good grades in school so that I can go to college. Please let me get married before I have any children, so that my children will have a father, I will have a husband and we all will have the same last name. Amen

I prayed this prayer from the time I accepted Christ as my Savior, until I was finally married to my husband in 1986.

During my senior year at The Ohio State University, The Color Purple written by Alice Walker was one of the required summer literature reading assignments. It portrayed the story of a woman name Celie who endured many hardships including poverty, racism and discrimination. What initially captivated me about the book was each chapter began with the words “Dear God,” just like my innocent prayer upon my conversion to Christ. I reverenced God in my own little way and expected Him to answer my prayers because I had been wounded early in life. I did not fit, and felt no one cared. I identified with Celie, and understood Alice Walker’s purpose for writing the book:

to explore the difficult path of someone who starts out in life already a spiritual captive, but who, through her own courage and the help of others, breaks free into the realization that she, like Nature itself, is a radiant expression of the heretofore perceived as quite distant Divine (Walker 1982, i).

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As I quickly turned the pages, this story was more than a fictional novel but the realization of many women both black and white. Despite the many struggles each of the women in The Color Purple were challenged by, they refused to let their issues define or marginalize their faith. More importantly, Celie refused to fit into the life of struggle and defeat that was purposely designed for her by Mister, her husband. He deemed she would be nothing in life because she was Black,

Poor, and a Woman! The Bible declares that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14), I have chosen to therefore write from an African

American woman’s perspective where applicable.

The foundations for this project will be composed of my personal background as a novice female minister of the gospel and my unrelenting faith in

God that drives my passion for wanting to belong in Christian community. Also included in the foundation section: a biblical and theological summary depicting faith, suffering, healing, and the challenges faced by African Americans searching for a sense of belonging in Christian community.

Personal Foundation

In many regards, I feel like one of the Israelite’s wandering in the wilderness in search of the promised land; a land flowing with milk and honey for my thirsty and hungry soul. Having accepted the call to ministry later in my adult life presented many issues for me, especially since I was not attached spiritually to a local body of Christ. I experienced major core longing deficits in my youth that followed me through adulthood. As a result, I have experienced feelings of not belonging or fitting spiritually in the church where I had been a member for

174 thirty -six years. Although I feel a strong presence of God in my life, the need for spiritual guidance and fellowship with other believers has been severely lacking.

According to the “Hand of God-Core Longing Model” created by Anne

Madaglia Halley, the core longing “belonging” rests in the palm of God’s hand and signifies being home and in a welcomed place with God. Belonging is the feeling I sense when I know whose I am, and know who I am. It is the place of safety, hope, and protection that can only be found in God. (Halley 2016, 4) The position of this core longing is very important as the Scriptures remind us that no one including Satan can snatch us out of the almighty hand of God once He claims us as His sheep (John 10:27-30).

As we recall the creation story, God made the woman to be the helper of the man and they enjoyed the splendor of God in the garden of Eden. They flourished knowing that they belonged to God, until sin drove them out. Dr.

Halley suggests, “God’s personal enmeshment with these first two humans provided love and purpose borne of His own character. They were full; they belonged! The fruit of this would have been perfect peace and harmony between the environment, mankind and their God” (Halley 2009, 12). Since we expect to experience total serenity in our relationship with God, it is natural to expect that when we join with other believers our experience of peace and sense of belonging heightens because we are in fellowship with other disciples of Christ.

However, this is not always the case.

Sometimes the blessings of being intelligent, anointed, and female limits our opportunity for ministry in a male dominated religious society. These

175 obstacles can create wounds, feelings of unworthiness and doubt. Therefore, it is critical to connect with a fellowship that is Christ-centered, Scripture focused, and

Spirit driven.

The next sections of this proposal will include the Biblical, Theological,

Historical, and Contemporary foundations.

Biblical Foundation

In the gospel according to Luke, the Bible introduces us to a woman with a

12-year issue of blood whose name is not revealed, but yet her story of unwavering faith is told and publicly rewarded. In this passage of Scripture, we observe Jesus being the Master over sickness and disease (Culpepper 1995,

189) as a bold and destitute woman interrupts His journey to heal the dying 12- year-old daughter of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.

This Biblical narrative as told by Luke using the New Revised Standard version opens with the crowd pressing Jesus, and a suffering woman who for the crowd is not seen but is cast out of society because of her persistent incurable bleeding disease. She has been hidden from the Jewish culture and ostracized because her condition warrants her as contaminated due to her constant vaginal flow. This woman is banned from the temple, restricted from being seen in public, and no one including physicians and magicians have been able to cure her.

Luke vividly portrays her as being poor, suffering, unclean, and alone. She has no family, no friends, no church; she only has her Faith to sustain her!

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As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out of me.” When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8:40-48 NRSV)

By Jewish law (Leviticus 15:25-31), her constant flow made her unclean, a state of ritual defilement as described by J. Williams who suggests,

This condition would have made her virtually outcast, as she would defile anyone with whom she came into contact, even if they only touched something that she had handled. Every woman would have known what it was to be “unclean” for one week in the month, but this woman, … had a constant flow of defiling blood for twelve years (Williams 1984, 90).

For this woman, everything she touched, sat on, and came in contact with was considered tainted. On the very rare occasions that she entered a public area she was obligated to cry out unclean! unclean! just as a leper. Having to pronounce oneself as being unclean certainly brought about shame and feelings of being cursed. She had suffered many wounds socially, financially, and most important spiritually. According to Jeffrey John “menstruation was taken to be the result of God’s “curse” on Eve in Genesis 3:16. The Levitical rule laid down that a woman remained unclean for the whole period of discharge – however long it lasted” (John 2001, 101). For this deprived woman it was 12 long years which equates to 4,380 days of isolation and defilement.

This bleeding woman’s suffering from being unclean was further complicated by her economical impoverishment. Whatever means she had, she

177 spent on trying to find a remedy for her ailment, but nothing or no one had the power or knowledge to cure her. In Mark 5:27-28, the writer gives a vivid description of the hemorrhaging woman’s plan to gain relief from her 12 year plague as he records:

She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well” (RSV) Unless noted all scripture will be taken from the Revised Standard Version.

In this passage from Mark, the author reveals that the woman has heard about

Jesus which has been interpreted hearing reports of His healing power as did the

Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7:25. Her stealth and unassuming desire to touch the Master went unnoticed by those in the crowd who pressed upon Jesus.

The Master of sickness and disease however recognized that He has been touched by someone’s faith despite her state of uncleanness. The woman encouraged herself enough to believe that just by secretly touching his garment, she would be healed. Hagner suggests, “It will suffice to touch the garment of this very special person. This strategy may well have been dictated by her ritual uncleanness and her sense of the holiness of Jesus as a divinely empowered healer” (Hagner 1993, 248) It has been suggested that she came from behind because she recognized He was the divine “Holy” Healer and considering her unclean condition, she was prohibited to come boldly before Him, as others He had healed.

Having enough faith to reach out and touch the tassel, or fringe of Jesus’ garment caused her blood flow to cease immediately. During the time of this

178 biblical story, touching Jesus’ garments as a means for receiving healing of sickness was well known as recorded in Mark 6:56, “And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.” This is also evident that healing power flowed from

Jesus as he operated under the anointing power of the heavenly Father.

Lastly, when Jesus confronts the crowd by asking who touched me? the woman exposes herself by falling down at his feet. In her healed state, she then falls in front of Him trembling and shaking for she realized her touch did not go unnoticed. She actually touched the Rabbi’s garment, which could have been interpreted as touching Him. According to R. Allan Culpepper, “By demanding a personal confrontation with the woman, Jesus was not seeking to shame or embarrass her but to recognize her faith and offer her his blessings” (Culpepper

1995, 191). Jesus does not consider her unclean or an outcast, according to the law, rather He showers her with affection and lovingly calls her daughter!

By publically calling her daughter, He pronounces to the crowd that she belongs to Him, and is a part of the kingdom of God. In doing so, this woman has found her place in community, and experiences a sense of belonging to Jesus.

Jesus confirms that she is healed because of her faith, and pronounces a blessing of peace upon her. According to Joel B. Green “Her faith, tested by the boundaries of ritual purity legitimated by community sanctions, is genuine. Its authenticity is manifest in her willingness to cross the barriers of acceptable behavior in order to obtain salvation” (Green 1997, 349). In this instance, Jesus

179 is a healer of both body and soul. She is now afforded every social freedom because Jesus pronounces her wholeness to the watching community.

In the following Theological Foundations section, I will discuss what theologians have offered on the themes of faith, suffering, and salvation.

Theological Foundation

As we examined the biblical story of the woman with the issue of blood, we studied what the Bible revealed about faith, suffering and the faithfulness of

God. It is this writer’s belief that regardless of how strong or weak one’s faith is,

God may allow trouble, suffering, and loss to be a part of our life experience as this woman and Job have borne witness to. I now would like to examine what theologians have said about faith, suffering, and salvation. Luke ‘s account emphasizes that faith saves and is rewarded.

As Christians, we are reminded that without faith it is impossible to please

God, (Hebrews 11:6). James Dunn gives a more precise understanding of the word “faith” and defines it as:

Further, faith can be defined as a constant belief and hope in God, or a spiritual power beyond the ability of human existence. Having faith means that one is totally and completely relying on God to do what you cannot humanly do for or in one’s self. It is a state of total surrender and dependence on God.

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Ronald M. Hals suggests that “faith is our grateful response to our gracious God, and praise is the natural form in which this faith is confessed, and in which this gratitude finds expression” (Hals 1980, 18). When the bleeding woman discovered that her touch did not go unrecognized she fell at the feet of

Jesus, which has been interpreted as reverencing Him as the Master over sickness and disease. Further, she explains why she touched Him and how she was immediately healed. Jesus then restores her back to the community by calling her daughter and pronouncing shalom upon her.

John Calvin was quoted as saying “Faith is not a naked and frigid awareness of Christ, but a living and real experience of his power, which produces confidence” (Bloesch 2007, 17). For this reason, I believe that the woman with the issue of blood is an excellent example for trusting God for complete healing when faced with sickness and incurable diseases. She demonstrates the power in hearing about Jesus and acting upon that which has been heard.

Donald G. Bloesch in his book Faith and Its Counterfeits quote Martin

Luther who said, “The highest state of faith is when God hides himself from us so that we must venture forth in darkness trusting only in his promises” (Bloesch

1981, 66). This is exactly what the woman did once she heard about Jesus, in secrecy she moves towards him to steal a touch from the all-powerful healer.

Robert Kolb, the author of Luther and the Stories of God Biblical Narratives as a

Foundation for Christian Living wrote “God also tests faith and strengthens it when the faithful find his presence while bearing the burdens …. suffering can

181 involve a variety of ills that befall the believer, including sickness and misfortune of various kinds (Kolb 2012, 115). We may never fully understand why God allows suffering, but it is paramount to hold onto one’s faith believing that He will provide the grace to bear whatever challenge life presents.

In the Dictionary of Fundamental Theology regarding the reason for suffering, John McDermott contributes:

Besides involving a call to conversion, a purification of sinful habits, or a test of fidelity, which is implied in the very exercise of freedom, suffering now becomes an invitation to join in Christ’s redemptive work and a possibility of sharing more deeply in his self- sacrificial love. In this love the believer also participates in Christ’s victory over sin and death, i.e., eternal life. (McDermott 1995, 1016)

This provides insight, that our suffering is not in vain, neither is it without a divine purpose. As in the case of the hemorrhaging woman was to “save” her in the sense of bringing about her salvation to Christ, and restoration to the community in which she lived.

From a Feminist perspective as commented by Flora Keshgegian “The remedy for suffering is therefore found in the salvation offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ” (Clarkra and Russell 1996, 1013).

Further, salvation is initiated by God so that His divine will is fulfilled in the earth.

This can only be accomplished through the shedding of blood for the atonement of man’s sinful nature. The comparison then becomes the Christ who is meek and poor, bleeds for the sins of the world, but who is raised from the dead because of his omnipotent power. The woman with the issue of blood is poor after exhausting all she had to be cured, but by a single touch from Jesus is saved unto eternal life, which was the purpose in God’s redemptive plan.

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The Levitical laws created boundaries for purposes of ensuring holiness and delineating clean and unclean. However, Barbara Reid, delineates in

Choosing the Better Part? Women in the Gospel of Luke contributes, “For Jesus the purpose of the law is to facilitate access to God, not impede it. His central concern is God’s will, namely the wholeness and holiness of God’s people” (Reid

1996, 142). A look at the church to explore its roots and purpose in the life of a

Christian is necessary, because the church is the footing of one’s faith and salvation.

The next foundation section will discuss what historically occurred in the

African American church during slavery and the Great Awakening. We will explore the significance of the Black Church.

Historical Foundation

When the first slaves arrived on the shores of America in 1619, they had been uprooted from their native land, torn from their God, and involuntarily made to work in a brutal system that yielded no compensation. Many slave owners felt that the teaching of Christianity would further subdue the slaves into being more submissive and loyal. In The Black Christian Experience, Troy and McCall state,

“It was a general feeling among the English that the closer to servitude that the slave was kept, the more useful he would be as a laborer; therefore, little concern was given for his spiritual needs” (McCall 1972, 18). From this perspective we can conclude the slave owners used their Christianity to their personal advantage. In the name of God and for the sake of Christianity they capitalized,

183 thus slaves were only considered free labor; more or less a breathing piece of property. Not a soul or even something created in the image of God.

In many regards, the African slaves were viewed as uneducated savages taken from their homeland to be bought and sold as material gain for European men. These men from England desired a greater presence in America and access to the free labor from slaves and created the Society for Promoting

Christian Knowledge (SCK) in 1699 and the Society for the Propagation of the

Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPF) in 1701. These two entities were very instrumental in the efforts made to Christianize negroes whether they were free or still enslaved.

The SPF brought to the forefront religious concerns that led to the spiritual rebirth in America that was experienced in England during the early 1700’s.

(McCall 1972, 21). Along with men such as William Tennent Sr., Gilbert Tennent,

George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards and Samuel Davis, church meetings were revolutionized. The religious services became alive with spiritual expressions such as shouting, dancing, being slain in the spirit, and expressive sermons. The most significant result of the Great Awakening was the deliberation about the

Negro slave having a soul. Slaves were included in the services and all evangelistic activities (McCall 1972, 21).

The Great Awakening experience permitted slaves the opportunity of worshipping with their masters and participating in the services. For those slave owners who prohibited their slaves from becoming Christianize, the slaves were forced to have secret meetings in the woods or in the swamps. They developed

184 songs like “Wade in the Water” or “Lay Down My Burdens By The Riverside” to insinuate where the secret meetings would be held.

A sense of religious freedom began to occur when some Christian slave owners taught their slaves to read from passages in Ephesians 6:5, “Slaves, obey your master.” However, there were slaves who learned to read illegally and sought to read other chapters within the Bible which gave them a better understanding of God’s word. It was through forbidden reading of the Bible that they learned to select portions of God’s word to strengthen them and give them hope of better things to come (Mitchell 2004, 16). Although many slaves were permitted to become members of the same church that their masters attended they could only participate in the worship service. They had no voting or decision- making rights, thus they were not free as God’s word was understood by them.

Throughout history the plight of the African American to be free has culminated in a variety of ways as explained in the book The Black Church in the

African American Experience,

During slavery it meant release from bondage; after emancipation it meant the right to be educated, to be employed … In the twentieth century freedom means social, political, and economic justice … from the very beginning of the black experience in American … freedom has always meant the absence of any restraint which might compromise one’s responsibility to God. (Lincoln and Mamiya 1990, 4)

Freedom for many persons of color has been found within the walls of the church because they were able to disregard being called boy or girl and recognized as a part of the church family, hence they recognized each other as brother and sister.

The church was the family that many slaves never had because they were sold off at the master’s discretion.

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The first establishment of a Black Baptist church is recorded between

1773-75 in Sliver Bluff, South Carolina. This church was created because of the unjust treatment blacks received in the white church. More importantly, it’s roots are tied to an unwavering faith in God and His ability to right every wrong and injustice. More strangely, was the negro’s ability to associate themselves with the plight of the Hebrews and their similar bondage under Pharaoh (McCall 1972,

34). During this Great Awakening period many “Black Moses “arose to lead the people of color to freedom; Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and

Martin Luther King during the civil rights movement.

African Americans can be thankful for the Great Awakening movement in religious history, because this period was instrumental in the separation of blacks from the white worship experience. Many of the Great Awakening worship traditions such as, enthusiastic singing, hand clapping, shouting, and praise were modeled in the Black church as a result of the separation.

In the Contemporary Foundation Section, I will discuss the Formational

Prayer and The Structure of Inner Healing model and Spiritual Direction concepts to address issues relating to faith, healing wounds and spiritual maturity.

Contemporary Foundation

Formational prayer is a model of care that opens the way for the Holy

Spirit to move through a gifted caregiver, touching a broken person where he or she most needs release and transformation” (Wardle 200,15). Thus, the primary goal of formational prayer is for the wounded person to be healed by the Holy

Spirit. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit,

186 and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (NIV). For a believer, true freedom can only be found in the presence of God. The Formational Counselor must avail themselves to the working of the Holy Spirit so that wounds can be touched by the healing presence of Jesus.

Dr. Wardle has been instrumental in helping us to understand that a wound can be defined as any unrepaired rupture from a life experience. Wounds have their origin in unmet core longings. When a wound is not properly addressed, it can result in the person feeling a need to hide or pretend to be someone they are not. In some instances, a person may choose to engage in unhealthy and risky behavior to temporarily sooth their internal pain.

Dr. Charles E. Booth suggests in his book Stronger in my Broken Places:

Claiming a Life of Fullness in God, “if you want to trace your brokenness, you must locate your unhealed hurts, identify your unmet needs, and confess your unresolved issues. An African proverb teaches us, “A concealed disease can never be healed” (Booth 2014, 106). Brokenness is a reality of life, but through

Formational Prayer and Spiritual Directions exercises, people can experience healing, wholeness, and a sense of freedom from the pressures of life.

The journey to inner healing using the Structures of Inner Healing can be a remarkable tool when properly used by the Formational Counselor while working with those who have wounds and core longing deficits such as belonging issues. The paragraph below depicts each facet:

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In reviewing this model, it is important to note that there is a cause and effect relationship between each phase. Essentially, a wounded person will eventually believe lies that will affect their perception and cause emotional feelings of inadequacies that most often will lead to dysfunctional behaviors and unfortunate life situations. Progression towards wellness cannot be made, until each layer of wounding and pain is successfully addressed (Wardle 2001, 136). Using this model is not a quick fix remedy. It takes time to establish a trusting relationship with people who have experienced deep wounds. Therefore, it is recommended that the Formational counselor seals the work completed by the Holy Spirit and rebuke all ungodly forces at the end of each session.

According to Dr. Wardle “once the healing process has begun, a person experiences an entirely new cause and effect relationship relative to their wounds” as shown below,

As this process is set in motion, it is important for the Formational Counselor to remember that they should never rely on their own strength, ability, or talent. I concur with Seamands when he states, “The ministry into which we have entered is the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son, to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, for the sake of the church and the world” (Seamands 2005, 9-10). Therefore, as a student of Formational Counseling, working in the ministry of inner healing prayer, we must fully recognize that healing comes directly from the Father through Jesus by the aid of the Holy Spirit.

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Spiritual guidance has been defined as “the process of helping others respond to the journey of life in ways that invite personal transformation into the image of Jesus Christ” (Wardle 2004, 29). Similar to the Structures of Healing, it also is a specialized work of the Holy Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver to facilitate the awareness of God in a person’s life. This transformation and work of the Holy Spirit forms the individual into the likeness and image of Jesus Christ our Savior.

As we enter into a relationship with those who are wounded we must build a trusting relationship with them. Our ultimate trust must be in the Holy Spirit to guide them to encounter Jesus. This can be accomplished by using William T.

Kirwan’s Four Essential Factors for creating a sense of belonging. These factors include: 1) empathy, 2) genuineness, 3) warmth, and 4) concreteness (Kirwan

1984, 125). The effective counselor must use all four of these elements to be successful in providing counseling that will be life changing.

There are many other Spiritual Direction tools that can be used by the

Formational Counselor or Spiritual Guide to help the person being guided mature spiritually, and increase one’s faith. Practicing spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, journaling, silent retreats, scripture proclamation, and observing the present moment are all designed to increase one’s awareness of the true and living God.

Context

The preferred survey participants will be members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist

Church in Columbus, Ohio who will vary in age, length of membership and

189 involvement within the ministry of the church. This discovery project will assess to what extent faith influences a member’s sense of belonging in Christian community. Mt. Olivet is a very vibrant and busy church with over 1,500 members. For the purposes of this project, random members who attend morning worship, New Disciples class, Bible study, and the monthly marriage ministry will be asked to complete the survey.

The research questions designed for this project could be used in any church setting however, my focus is targeted to the African American population because many of my fellow parishioner’s struggle with feeling a sense of belonging in church as I have. This is evident by the number of people who join and participate, but then leave for no apparent reason.

Further, I feel that I will be able to manage this project in a familiar setting as I work towards my own healing and confirmation of faith within the Mt. Olivet

Baptist Church. Since I have personally struggled with finding my own place in community, I believe that those who attend the New Disciples class, and other aforementioned ministries will have similar stories to share.

Significant Terms

African-American – Ones whose birth was in Africa but whose transition to

America was forced under slavery.

Core Longings – God’s original design for humankind to feel, desire and experience love, security, understanding, purpose, significance and belonging.

The absence of these create intolerable longing to which the brain and body responds (Halley 2009, 10).

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Belonging – My home place, feeling of being with, welcomed, without fear.

Faith – Believing in God as the power above all powers to do what I cannot humanly do for myself.

Inner Healing Prayer- A ministry of the Holy Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver, bringing the Healing Presence of Jesus Christ into the place of pain and brokenness within a wounded person (Wardle 2001, 13).

Project Goals

It is the purpose of this project to discover how faith influences the participant’s core longing of belonging in community, among a select group of

Christians who are members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of

Columbus, Ohio. The research question is: How does faith influence the core longing of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio.

This section includes the goals for this discovery project:

1. To discover what elements influence participants' experience of belonging

in Christian community.

2. To discover how faith impacts participants' sense of belonging to God.

3. To discover what elements influence participants' experience of belonging

to God.

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4. To discover how contributing financially influences a sense of belonging in

Christian community.

5. To discover how participation in church ministry contributes to a sense of

belonging in Christian community.

6. To discover how participants' sense of belonging in Christian community

influenced by the relationship they have with the pastor of the church.

7. To discover how participants’ sense of belonging to God is influenced by

the pastor’s preaching.

8. To discover how participants’ receipt of assistance from the church during

a crisis influences their sense of belonging in Christian community.

Design, Procedure and Assessment

The purpose of this project is to discover how faith influences participant’s core longing of belonging in community, among a select group of Christians who are members of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in the city of Columbus, Ohio. The survey will be distributed by hand to random members of The Mt. Olivet Baptist

Church who attend Sunday morning worship, the New Disciples class, Bible

Study, and the monthly Marriage ministry gatherings. The survey will gather information relating to the project goals. It is anticipated that more than 50 surveys will be completed within a specified time. For those selected participants who desire to complete the survey on line, that option will be made available to them, using a secure email address.

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The survey will contain nine sections. In the first section, all demographic information will be obtained, most of which will be required for continuing with the remainder of the survey.

The preceding seven sections will provide questions to assess to what degree the participants are aware if faith influences their sense of belonging in community. Three quantitative questions will be developed for each project goal using a 5-point Likert scale to measure the degree of influence or faith. The 5- point scale will range from totally agree to totally disagree. The final section will be qualitative to capture a fuller expression of the opinion and motivation of each of the respondents.

The final section of the survey will contain a statement of appreciation for the time and information given for this project. I will create a secured email address for participants who complete the survey by hand or on line to give them the opportunity to request additional information and the next phase of this project.

To ensure data integrity, the survey compilation will be completed manually and using the online survey assessment tool. The focus of these two compilations will be to ensure that the desired participants have completed the survey which specifies membership with The Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

Personal Goals

During my course work at Ashland Theological Seminary I was very fortunate to be a part of the last Formational Counseling cohorts. Cohort N was a very small and loving group composed of 7 students. Over the course of two years of studying and praying together we became a community of faith. My

193 personal goals are also prayer requests. In my heart, I believe that I have been lead to join a wonderful church. However, I want to experience the joy and fellowship of knowing God more deeply. My faith needs to be strengthened. I believe this process is my personal faith journey and I hope to draw closer to

God so that I will be used for His glory and the advancement of the kingdom. I have two goals which are listed below.

1. To gain a closer relationship with God through spiritual disciplines; in

hopes of better understanding His plan for me regarding inner healing

ministry.

2. To become a more consistent reader of God’s word to experience a

better understanding of faith.

Through this dissertation process, I will accomplish my personal goals by becoming active in a Christ centered Christian fellowship. To gain a closer relationship with God, I will engage in the practice of spiritual disciplines such as fasting, praying, reading scripture, and journaling. I will increase my daily and monthly solitude time to sit quietly before the Lord to increase my faith and sense of belonging.

Calendar

Month Year Action

December 2016 Project Goals Approved

March 2017 Project Proposal Completed

April 2017 Project Proposal Approved

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April 2017 Attend DMN 9997 Writing Seminar

May 2017 Develop Assessment tool

June 2017 Assessment Approved

July 2017 Initiate Project

August 2017 Gather the data

August 2017 Evaluate the data

September 2017 Write Chapters 2 and 3 submit to editor/advisor

October 2017 Write Chapters 4 and 5 submit to editor/advisor

November 2017 Write Chapter 6 and submit to editor/advisor

December 2017 Write Chapter 1 and submit to editor/advisor

January 2018 Write Preliminaries and submit to editor/advisor

February 2018 Write Reference List and submit to editor/advisor

March/April 2018 Defense

May 2018 Graduation

Core Team

Advisor: Dr. XXXXXXXXXXXXX Professor of xxxxxxxxx Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio (to be assigned)

Field consultant: Rev. Dr. Charles E. Booth Pastor of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

Resource Person(s): Dr. Deborah Dennis Director of Christian Education, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

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Support

The Triune God: Who ensures that all things will work together for my good.

Thomas L. Weaver: My husband and closest friend.

Deloria Marcella Rogers: My Mary who ensures the foundation is safe.

Dr. Deborah Dennis: My mentor and Naomi, her God is my God.

Gwendolyn Rogers: My editor and sister in Christ

Prayer Team: My mother (Dorothy Blackmon), church family, and co-workers.

Life Management

As I wholeheartedly engage in the Doctor of Ministry for Formational

Counseling, I submit myself totally to God. I surrender my hopes, dreams, insecurities, and everything within me for His perfection and glory.

I acknowledge that I must be a better manager of my time in order to maintain devotion to God, my family, friends, and church. Therefore, I will embrace a more disciplined lifestyle that will include a better nutritional diet, exercise, proper rest, enhanced study, and giving of my time, talent, and financial resources. I will devote three weekdays and two weekends each month for

Doctoral work only.

To assist me with my Doctoral journey I will establish a support group to assist with my self-care needs. This group will include my husband, Thomas

Weaver, my mentor Dr. Deborah Dennis, Regina Harris, and two personal friends

Starlett Hylton and Donna Goode who will keep me mentally and physically fit.

This group, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, will keep me on task with my proposal goals and time management.

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Finally, I will embrace the Word of God as stated in Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you (Yvette) will perform it (Graduation, May 2018) until the day of Jesus Christ and Luke 1:45

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Resources

Ongoing fellowship within the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

Attending workshops, seminars, and Ashland classes for spiritual growth and further development in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Appendix Two: Assessment Tool

BELONGING ASSESSMENT

Please provide the following personal information:

Present Age: ❑ 18-24 ❑ 25-32 ❑ 33-39 ❑ 40-49 ❑ 50-59 ❑ 60-69 ❑ 71-79 ❑ 80- up

Gender: ❑ M ❑ F

Number of times you visited Mt. Olivet before joining:

❑ 1 to 2 ❑ 3 to 4 ❑ 5 to 6 ❑ 7 to 8 ❑ 9 or more

Years of being a member at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church: ❑ Less than 1 ❑ 2 to 5 ❑ 6 to 9 ❑ 10 to 13 ❑ More than 14

Years working in ministry at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church: ❑ Less than 1 year ❑ 2 to 5 ❑ 6 to 9 ❑ 10 to 13 ❑ More than 15

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Belonging Survey

Please circle the number that pertains to your level of agreement on the statement. See scale below. Likert Scale 1- Very Strongly Disagree 2- Strongly Disagree 3- Mildly Disagree 4- Agree and Disagree Equally 5- Mildly Agree 6- Strongly Agree 7- Very Strongly Agree

1. Prayer has influenced my experience of belonging 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 to the kingdom of God.

2. My faith strengthens my belief that I belong to God. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

3. I experience a sense of belonging to God when I pray. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4. I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 when I give a 10th of my earnings to the church.

5. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I participate in more than 1 Ministry in the church.

6. My relationship with Pastor Booth influences my 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God.

7. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 because the church assisted me financially during a crisis.

8. I experience a sense of belonging to God when 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 pastor preaches on forgiveness.

9. My faith does not impact my sense of belonging to God. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

10. I experience a sense of belonging to God when I read 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 my Bible.

11. I have experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 when I give financially as often as I can.

12. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I participate in more than 3 Ministries in the church.

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Likert Scale 1- Very Strongly Disagree 2- Strongly Disagree 3- Mildly Disagree 4- Agree and Disagree Equally 5- Mildly Agree 6- Strongly Agree 7- Very Strongly Agree

13. Reading the Bible has influenced my experience of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 to the kingdom of God.

14. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 because the church comforted me when I experienced the loss of a loved one.

15. My relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 my sense of belonging to the kingdom of God.

16. I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 preaches on love.

17. My faith is weakened when I feel that I do not belong 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 to God.

18. I experience a sense of belonging to God when I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 attend worship service at Mt. Olivet.

19. Partaking in Holy communion has influenced my 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 experience of belonging to the kingdom of God.

20. I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 although I am unable to contribute financially.

21. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet when 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I participate in more than 5 Ministries in the church.

22. My relationship with Pastor Booth influences my sense 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist church.

23. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 the church contacted me during my illness.

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Likert Scale 1- Very Strongly Disagree 2- Strongly Disagree 3- Mildly Disagree 4- Agree and Disagree Equally 5- Mildly Agree 6- Strongly Agree 7- Very Strongly Agree

24. I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 preaches on hope.

25. Being baptized has influenced my experience of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 belonging to the kingdom of God.

26. My sense of belonging to God has nothing to do with 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 my faith.

27. I experience a sense of belonging to God when I fast. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

28. I have experienced a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 when I give more than a 10th of my earnings to the church.

29. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet although 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I do not participate in any Ministries in the church.

30. My relationship with Pastor Booth does not influence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 my sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist church.

31. I experience a sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet because 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 the church provided counseling during a difficult time in my life.

32. I experience a sense of belonging to God when pastor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 preaches on repentance.

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Please take a moment to complete this last section. Your answers are very important.

1. List one or more things that influence your sense of belonging to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Please explain.

2. List one or more ways in which your faith has influenced your sense of belonging to God. Please explain.

3. List one or more ways you contribute to the church that impacts your sense of being a member of Mt. Olivet Baptist church. Please explain.

4. List one or more ways your relationship with Pastor Booth influences your sense of belonging in Christian community.

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Appendix Three: COVER LETTER

July 1, 2017

Dear Fellow Parishioner of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church:

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior! This letter comes to introduce myself to you and ask for your participation in the attached survey. Please allow me to express my love for Christ, this church, our pastor, and the ministry that God has entrusted to this little old church on Main Street.

I am a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Ashland Theological Seminary (Ashland, Ohio) in the Formational Counseling track. As part of my dissertation research, I am conducting a survey within our church to determine what things influences a member’s sense of belonging in Christian community. Because we have embraced a culture of caring throughout our church, this comprehensive study has potential to yield helpful insights to our ministry.

The survey has been designed for simplicity and is very easy to complete. It includes a Likert Scale rating of 1 to 7, and has 4 open-ended questions. There is no right or wrong answers, and I only ask that you respond based on your own merit. Please fully respond to each question so that a true and authentic assessment of your sense of belonging in Christian community can be obtained.

Please understand that this survey is completely voluntary. If you receive this survey and do not wish to participate, please disregard it by returning it to me. As a willing participant, your responses will remain anonymous. The survey is conducted through a third-party and is intentionally set up to have no features which will identify respondents. It is my hope that this anonymity will inspire you to respond willingly and freely.

I am excited about this project and I thank you in advance for your cooperation, time and willingness to assist me with completion of my Doctoral project. An increased participation will provide for a better assessment and more useful conclusions. The deadline for completion of the survey is July 31, 2017. Thank you again for assisting me with this endeavor. (I plan to make the results available upon the conclusion of the study)

May the choice blessing of the Lord be upon you always.

Sincerely,

Sister Yvette S. Weaver

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