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Uncovering Multiple Conversion Avenues for Effective Evangelism Tim Buechsel George Fox University

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Uncovering Multiple Conversion Avenues for Effective Evangelism Tim Buechsel George Fox University Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Seminary 1-1-2013 One size fits all? uncovering multiple conversion avenues for effective evangelism Tim Buechsel George Fox University This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Buechsel, Tim, "One size fits all? uncovering multiple conversion avenues for effective evangelism" (2013). Doctor of Ministry. Paper 44. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/44 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Seminary at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY ONE SIZE FITS ALL? UNCOVERING MULTIPLE CONVERSION AVENUES FOR EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO GEORGE FOX EVANGELICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY TIM BUECHSEL PORTLAND, OREGON MARCH 2013 George Fox Evangelical Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Tim Buechsel has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on March 14, 2013 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspectives. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Clifford Berger, DMin Secondary Advisor: Roger Helland, DMin Lead Mentor: Jason Clark, DMin Copyright ©2013 by Tim Buechsel All rights reserved All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................1 The Writing on the Wall ................................................................................................5 Signs of Trouble .............................................................................................................5 The Way Forward ........................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 2 A BIBLICAL STUDY OF CONVERSION ...........................................14 Defining Salvation and Conversion .............................................................................17 Conversion in the Bible ...............................................................................................19 Old Testament Words: shubh and naham ..............................................................19 New Testament Words ...........................................................................................21 Summary ................................................................................................................28 Representative New Testament Texts ..........................................................................29 The Gospel of John ................................................................................................29 The Synoptic Gospels ............................................................................................37 Acts 2:37-42 ...........................................................................................................40 Romans 6:1-14 .......................................................................................................43 The Apostle Paul’s Conversion ...................................................................................47 Paul’s Conversion in Scripture ..............................................................................47 The New Perspective on Paul’s Conversion ..........................................................51 Is Paul’s Conversion Paradigmatic for All Christians? .........................................53 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................56 The Biblical Elements of Christian Conversion ....................................................56 Themes Describing the Nature of Christian Conversion .......................................58 CHAPTER 3 A HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF CONVERSION ..................................................................................................................62 Martin Luther: Departing from Inadequate Conceptions of Conversion .....................62 Is Preparation for Conversion Possible? ................................................................67 Christian Perseverance in Conversion ...................................................................71 Luther Critiques the Selling of Indulgences ..........................................................72 Luther’s Conversion Experience—a Paradigm? ....................................................73 Luther’s Theology Creates New Conversion Spaces/Avenues .............................78 Luther’s Legacy .....................................................................................................87 Puritanism ....................................................................................................................91 A Pure Church........................................................................................................92 A Covenant Relationship Between God and the Elect ..........................................95 iii William Perkins: the Puritan Practice of Discerning One’s Conversion .....................98 Discerning Conversion...........................................................................................99 Conversion Narrative ...........................................................................................103 Perkins’ Legacy ...................................................................................................106 Summary ....................................................................................................................111 CHAPTER 4 THE INFLUENCE OF MODERN REVIVALISM ON EVANGELICALS’ NOTION AND PRACTICE OF CONVERSION...........................113 Revivalism .................................................................................................................114 Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875).....................................................................116 Biographical Overview ........................................................................................116 The Roots of Finney’s Pragmatic Theology ........................................................118 Finney’s Reaction Against the Puritan Concept and Practice of Conversion ......119 A Closer Look at Finney’s Doctrine of Conversion ............................................121 The New Measure Means for Revival .................................................................127 Decision Space .....................................................................................................133 Finney’s Revivalism in D. L. Moody and Billy Graham ...........................................134 Dwight L. Moody (1837-99)................................................................................134 Billy Graham (b. 1918) ........................................................................................139 Cautionary Remarks.............................................................................................144 Modern Revivalism’s Legacy ....................................................................................145 The Rationalization Effect .........................................................................................155 The Four Dimensions of the McDonaldization Process ......................................156 The McDonaldization Process in Modern Revivalism ........................................158 Predicaments: the Irrationality of the Decision Conversion Avenue .........................161 The Challenge at Hand...............................................................................................165 CHAPTER 5 THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF MODERN REVIVALISM EVANGELISM TECHNIQUES IN A POST-CHRISTENDOM WORLD ....................167 The Lack of Effectiveness in Current Evangelical Evangelism Practices .................169 Christendom .........................................................................................................169 Post-Christendom .................................................................................................170 Pluralism: Difference and Dissolution .................................................................171 Assuming a Christendom Context .............................................................................175 The Non-Christendom Context: A Hong Kong Case Study ......................................181 Concluding Thoughts .................................................................................................186 CHAPTER 6 USING A SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY COURSE AS A CONVERSION AVENUE FOR CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS ....................................187 How Evangelical Churches Reveal Their Conversion Expectations .........................188 Second-Generation Christians and the Expected Conversion Narrative ...................190 iv Ineffective Gospel Presentations................................................................................195
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