View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Liberty University Digital Commons LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THE TRINITY…THE BIBLICAL MANDATES FOR PREACHING, TEACHING, WORSHIPPING AND EVANGELISM IN THE LOCAL CHURCH A Thesis Project Submitted to The Faculty of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry by Pedreto Antonio Graham-Brown Lynchburg, Virginia April 2017 Copyright © 2016 by Pedreto Antonio Graham-Brown All Rights Reserved LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGIAL SEMINARY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET ___________________________ Mentor: Dr. Charles N. Davidson Director, Doctor of Ministry Program Associate Professor of Chaplaincy _____________________________ Reader: Dr. David Hirschman Associate Dean Assistant Professor of Religion i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I want to take this time to acknowledge few people who are instrumental in assisting me to accomplish this monumental endeavor. Let me first mention Dr. Charles N. Davidson whose words of wisdom has guided me throughout this writing process. Dr. Davidson was hard and fair in his critical assessment throughout the entire project. To be critical here is not to be looked upon has being negative. Dr. Davidson’s critical assessment has helped me to look deeply into the doctrine of the Trinity to see how the Trinity can be assimilated in the life of the local church. The local church can also benefit from worshipping the Trinity in these four areas of ministry. This concept was a tremendous help to me because it helped me to be more specific and concise in what I was endeavoring to communicate. Dr. Davidson’s conventional wisdom was very refreshing and practically stimulating in the completion of this project. For this I am very grateful for his guidance. Most importantly, I am so grateful for my beautiful wife, Frankie Bennett Graham- Brown’s assistance, her wisdom and guidance for giving critical feedback on the entire project. She was very patient and understandable, even when my frustration level was on high. For this, I am deeply in her debt. Her spiritual growth in Christ has truly sheds some lights in expressing the Trinity in worship. Finally, I just want to truly dedicate this thesis to the ladies in life such as Arabel Graham (mother), Frankie Bennett Graham-Brown (wife), and Zola Elizabeth Graham- Brown (daughter). My mother was very instrumental in encouraging me to achieve my education. She was also instrumental in my spiritual growth in the faith. ii ABSTRACT TITLE: THE TRINITY…THE BIBLICAL MANDATES FOR PREACHING, TEACHING, WORSHIPPING, AND EVANGELISM IN THE LOCAL CHURCH Pedreto Antonio Graham-Brown Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016 Mentor: Dr. Charles N. Davidson The Trinity is viewed as the bedrock of the Christian faith. Notwithstanding, the worship of the Trinity in local churches today are hardly mentioned by pastors in their sermon. The researcher chose this topic to introduce the importance of assimilating the worship of the Trinity in the areas of the four key biblical mandates. The researcher surveyed 50 Southern Baptist Pastors and 10 members were selected from each church to participate. It was discovered that both pastors and members lack the essential understanding of incorporating the worship of the Trinity in these four areas of the ministry. The results of these participants are analyzed and displayed in graph form. The desired outcome is to equip Baptist pastors and members toward the utilization of their knowledge of the Trinity to empower members to incorporate the practicality of the Trinity into their daily lives and become models for Christ in the world. Abstract length: 150 words iii CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMET………………………………………………………………………. ii ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………. ……iii CONTENT …………………………………………………………………………………........iv TABLES …………………………………………………………………… …………… …...viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………1 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………………………3 Statement of Limitations………………………………………………………………………….7 Definition of Terms……………………………………………………………………………….9 Theoretical Basis…………………………………………………………………………………12 The Doctrine of the Trinity………………………………………………………………………12 Statement of Methodology……………………………………………………………………….15 Chapter One—Introduction……………………………………………………………………...15 Chapter Two—Factors that Affect the Worship of the Trinity………………………………….16 Chapter Three—Worshipping the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Trinity………………….16 Chapter Four—Research and Findings………………………………………………………….17 Chapter Five—A Practical Guide for Pastors……………………………………………………17 Chapter Six—Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..17 Literature Review……………………………………………………………………...................18 Books…………………………………………………………………………………….18 Journals…………………………………………………………………………………..21 Articles…………………………………………………………………………………...22 Internet…………………………………………………………………………………...23 iv Scripture Review…………………………………………………………………………23 CHAPTER 2: FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE WORSHIP OF THE TRINITY………..26 The Influence of Thoughts……………………………………………………………………….26 Hindrance: Lack of understanding……………………………………………………………….26 Hindrance: Feminist view of the Trinity…………………………………………………………33 Hindrance: Oneness Pentecostalism “In Jesus’ name” only……………………………………..46 CHAPTER 3: WORSHIPPING THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT IN THE TRINITY……………………………………………………………………………………….53 Worshipping the Father in the Trinity…………………………………………………………...54 Worshipping the Son in the Trinity……………………………………………………………...59 The Christological Trajectories verify His Trinitarian Identity………………………………….64 “Son of God” ……………………………………………………………………………64 “Son of Man” ……………………………………………………………………………67 Worshipping the Holy Spirit in the Trinity………………………………………………………69 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH AND FINDINGS………………………………………………..74 Research Question……………………………………………………………………………….74 Research Design…………………………………………………………………………………75 Research Approach………………………………………………………………………………76 Ethical Consideration…………………………………………………………………………….77 The Participants………………………………………………………………………………….78 Results and Observations from the Questionnaire……………………………………………….80 Comparative Analysis……………………………………………………………………80 Kevin Emmert’s Finding in Christianity Today October 28, 2014……………………………...81 v Analytical goal…………………………………………………………………………...82 Results of what area of the Trinity are being focus more than the other………………………...84 Results of questions regarding Christian fellowship and the Trinity……………………………87 Congregational Analysis…………………………………………………………………91 Summary of Results……………………………………………………………………………...93 CHAPTER 5: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR PASTORS……………………………………96 Experiencing the Trinity in Preaching…………………………………………………………...97 Jonathan Edwards Trinitarian Preaching………………………………………………...99 Experiencing the Trinity in Teaching………………………………………………………….102 Contextualizing the Trinity in Christian Education…………………………………….104 Experiencing the Trinity in Worship…………………………………………………………...106 Prayer and the Trinity………………………………………………………………….109 The Word and the Trinity………………………………………………………………110 The sacraments and the Trinity…………………………………………………………110 Experiencing the Trinity in Mission……………………………………………………………111 Church and Trinity……………………………………………………………………...113 Trinity in Practice……………………………………………………………………................116 Christian Experience the Father’s love through the Son……………………………………….118 The Holy Spirit and Christian Fellowship……………………………………………...............121 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………….125 Recommendation……………………………………………………………………………….134 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………136 APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE ONE (PASTORS……………………………………..145 vi APPENDIX B: QUESTIONNAIRE TWO(CHURCH-MEMBERS) ……………………..146 APPENDIX C: CONSENT FORM………………………………………………………….147 APPENDIX D: APPROVAL OF THE INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB)…...150 vii TABLES Table 1.0 Survey Response Rate………………………………………………………………...79 Table 1.1 Survey Response Rate………………………………………………………………...79 Table 1.2 Survey on Evangelicals’ Heresies…………………………………………………….81 Table 1.3 Pastors’ Perception of the Trinity…………………………………………………….83 Table 1.4 Role of the Son and Holy Spirit in Salvation………………………………………….84 Table 1.5 Methodology of teaching the congregation about the Trinity………………………...85 Table 2.0 The significant role of the Holy Spirit in your preaching style……………………….87 Table 2.1 Linkage between the Trinity and living daily…………………………………………89 Table 2.2 Discipleship training process of factoring the Trinity in new members’ salvation…...90 Table 2.3 Pastor teaching biblical principles on the Trinity…………………………………….92 Table 2.4 The significant role of the Trinity in your Christian walk…………………………….93 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that the doctrine of the Trinity is a very controversial subject in Christendom. The topic of discussion concentrates on the second person of the Trinity. The Son of God is the person of great interest. He is of great interest because the Son unlocks the door, so to speak, to the divine knowledge of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, it has causes major split between the East and West. In the historical disposition of the Trinity the East and West have encountered “different tendencies toward imbalance on one side or the other”1 according to Letham. For instance, the East almost falls into the danger of subordinationism2 by viewing the Son and Spirit as being subordinated to the Father. Meanwhile, the West falls into the danger toward modalism. That God functions in three successive modes as the Father,