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Building Discernment Processes from Practices That Best Inform Communal Decision Making Chris Alexander Luther Seminary

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Building Discernment Processes from Practices That Best Inform Communal Decision Making Chris Alexander Luther Seminary Luther Seminary Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary Doctor of Ministry Theses Student Theses 2017 Opening to Revelation: Building Discernment Processes from Practices that Best Inform Communal Decision Making Chris Alexander Luther Seminary Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.luthersem.edu/dmin_theses Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Alexander, Chris, "Opening to Revelation: Building Discernment Processes from Practices that Best Inform Communal Decision Making" (2017). Doctor of Ministry Theses. 20. http://digitalcommons.luthersem.edu/dmin_theses/20 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses at Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. For more information, please contact [email protected]. OPENING TO REVELATION: BUILDING DISCERNMENT PROCESSES FROM PRACTICES THAT BEST INFORM COMMUNAL DECISION MAKING by CHRIS ALEXANDER A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Luther Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MINISTRY ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 2017 © 2017 by Chris Alexander All rights reserved ABSTRACT Opening to Revelation: Building Discernment Processes from Practices that Best Inform Communal Decision Making by Chris Alexander This sequential explanatory mixed methods research project investigates the spiritual discernment processes of a Christian congregation in the United Church of Christ. The study identifies most utilized and most helpful practices of spiritual discernment within the areas of prayer, conversation, community, and media. This research shows how engaging spiritual practices influences participation in decision making by Christian congregations. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Countryside Community Church for allowing me the opportunity to observe their unique conversation with God and their neighbors as they learn together how they might follow God’s call into the world. I would like to thank Rev. Eric Elnes, Ph.D., Senior Pastor, for sharing his gifts for building an environment of discernment for our community and mentoring me in this leadership. I also want to thank Dan Loven-Crum, Will Howell, Patti Tu, and all the staff of Countryside Community Church for your ministry leadership as well as the support and encouragement you gave me for this project. And a special thanks to my journey partner team and to all the people of Countryside who participated in this project, granted me the time and the resources to conduct this research, and supported me with their insights throughout this process. I also extend a deep sense of gratitude to my D.Min. cohort and my professors for their support and collaboration in this program. I literally would not have made it through this project without you. And I especially want to thank my family: Rev. Scott Frederickson, Ph.D., Rachel Frederickson, Maddy Frederickson, Michael Coleman, and Asher Coleman for your continuous love and support throughout this project and in all of my questionable choices! Much love to all of you. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... viii 1. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 Research Question .................................................................................................4 Independent Variables ....................................................................................5 Dependent Variable ........................................................................................6 Intervening Variables .....................................................................................7 Importance of This Study ...............................................................................7 Theoretical Lenses .................................................................................................9 Practices .......................................................................................................11 Emergence Theory .......................................................................................12 Abundant Community ..................................................................................14 Five-Phase Discernment Processes ..............................................................15 Biblical and Theological Lenses .........................................................................16 I Kings 19:9-13 .............................................................................................16 Exodus 13:21-22 ..........................................................................................17 Acts 15:4-29 .................................................................................................17 Perichoresis ..................................................................................................18 Spiritual Practices .........................................................................................19 Processes of Discernment .............................................................................20 Research Methodology ........................................................................................21 Research Design ...........................................................................................22 Analysis ........................................................................................................24 Other Matters .......................................................................................................24 Definition of Key Terms ..............................................................................24 Ethical Considerations ..................................................................................26 Summary ..............................................................................................................27 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................29 Countryside Community Cupboard .....................................................................30 Darkwood Brew ...................................................................................................32 Congregational Designation as “Open and Affirming” .......................................35 Converging Paths .................................................................................................37 Tri-Faith Initiative ...............................................................................................39 History of Leadership ..........................................................................................43 Summary ..............................................................................................................49 iv 3. THEORETICAL LENSES ..........................................................................................50 Practices ...............................................................................................................51 Emergence Theory ...............................................................................................55 The Abundant Community ..................................................................................61 Five-Phase Discernment Processes .....................................................................67 Summary ..............................................................................................................72 4. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL LENSES .............................................................73 Biblical Lenses ....................................................................................................74 Intentional Listening: I Kings 19:9-13 .........................................................74 Trusting in God’s Leading: Exodus 13:21-22 ..............................................76 Spirit-led Church: Acts 15:4-29 ...................................................................78 Theological Lenses ..............................................................................................81 Perichoresis ..................................................................................................81 Spiritual Practices .........................................................................................86 Processes of Discernment .............................................................................91 Summary ..............................................................................................................94 5. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................96 Research Methodology ........................................................................................97 Variables ..............................................................................................................98 Biblical and Theological Rationale ...................................................................100 Journey Partner Team ........................................................................................103
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