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The Intersection of Amanda Berry Smith SOUL SISTERS: THE INTERSECTION OF AMANDA BERRY SMITH AND SELECTED WOMEN IN MINISTRY OF THE ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AME CHURCH by LIBYA BAAQAR A Thesis Submitted to the FaCulty of the James & Carolyn MCAfee SChool of Theology at MerCer University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY ATLANTA, GEORGIA 2019 © 2019 Libya BaaQar All Rights Reserved )"+V))*&) V*V *&)*"V"V V('.V)*V V)*V-"V!V)*&.V"V*V * * V"&*V"& V , V"(V "V*V V+&V 3TV . V % 'V IIJHR65 V #6L6JV(<6/VHF6K$V /4OBLTV)OI6JS=KHJV /4PBLUV&6/56JV *6J6K/VVJTVJHV #J6/4<>F:VHFKQBV MV15B6JV)4<HHAVH7V*<6HBH:TV /DVV-/A@6JVJV#<V V N6J>DV KKH4?/M6V60GV?GV6:J66V#JH;0EV /D6KV 2HATGV 4 96V)4<HHCVH8V*<6HAH:UV DEDICATION This projeCt is dediCated to my mother, Khaleelah Williams, and my family for their support. They have encouraged me throughout this journey. I am grateful for their love and ConfidenCe in me. They have been my inspiration since the inception of this projeCt. My love for them is eternal. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to my pastor, Dr. Thomas L. Bess, Sr. and his wife, Dr. GretChen Bess for their confidence in me to complete this projeCt. They have been my support system from day one. They reassured me that I Could reaCh the finish line. My life is truly enriChed by their love for me. Thank you also to the late Dr. Kenneth E. MarCus, former Dean of the Board of Examiners of the Atlanta North Georgia Annual ConferenCe, who gave his permission for me to conduct my researCh study. Without his kindness and support, this projeCt would not have been suCCessful. I will never forget his words of encouragement to “finish strong.” Thank you to Allen Temple AME ChurCh, Atlanta, GA for their support and love for me. To the evening bible study members who encouraged me to take a leave of absence to Conduct my researCh, thank you for being understanding and graCious. Thank you to the seleCted women in ministry of the Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference for their willingness to partiCipate in this researCh study. I appreCiate your transparency and honesty in your responses. Your input has greatly enriChed this projeCt. Thank you also to the readers of this study for their feedbaCk and suggestions that helped shape this projeCt. A speCial thanks to Dr. Peter Rhea Jones and Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown for lending themselves to this projeCt and making me better. I appreCiate your time and expertise. v Thank you to my editor Nancy Penton for ensuring my projeCt met the required standards and for your patience with me. I appreCiate the time spent, even on vaCation, dediCated to my projeCt. Your keen eye and incredible skills were signifiCant in helping me finalized my thesis. I am grateful for your assistance. Thank you to the Joseph Campbell Foundation for the usage of the Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey sChema from The Hero with a Thousand Faces (New World Library) Copyright © 2008 by the Joseph Campbell Foundation (jCf.org), used with permission. Lastly, thank you to MCAfee SChool of Theology, a plaCe that has Contributed much to my spiritual growth, theologiCal education, and overall ministry. I Could not have Chosen a better institution to complete my theologiCal education. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT ............................................................1 Purpose and Goals........................................................................................2 BaCkground and HistoriCal Support ...........................................................4 History of the Amanda Berry Smith and the AME ChurCh ........................4 History of the AME ChurCh .........................................................................8 Ministerial Context ....................................................................................11 Qualitative Method ApproaCh....................................................................12 Personal Interest in ProjeCt .......................................................................12 Limitations and Assumptions ....................................................................15 Terms and Definitions................................................................................16 2. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS ..................................20 Authority of SCripture ................................................................................21 BibliCal and TheologiCal Support ..............................................................28 Elements of Call Narratives .......................................................................33 Abraham’s Call Narrative ..........................................................................33 Moses’ Call Narrative ................................................................................35 Deborah’s Call Narrative ...........................................................................37 Samuel’s Call Narrative .............................................................................39 Esther’s Call Narrative ...............................................................................41 Jeremiah’s Call Narrative ..........................................................................45 Mary’s Call Narrative ................................................................................48 Comparative Analysis of Call Narratives ..................................................50 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 3. MINISTRY CONTEXT: DEMOGRAPHICS AND RESEARCH DESIGN ..53 Board of Examiners ...................................................................................57 ResearCh Design.........................................................................................59 Focus Groups Design and Adjustments .....................................................60 Adjustments to the ProjeCt .........................................................................61 Challenges of the ProjeCt ...........................................................................62 Strengths of the ProjeCt ..............................................................................63 Weaknesses of the ProjeCt .........................................................................63 Conclusion .................................................................................................64 4. FINDINGS: RESULTS AND INFERENCES FROM DATA COLLECTED 65 Inferences from Survey Results .................................................................67 Results of TopiC No. 6 of the Survey .........................................................69 Results of TopiC No. 9 of the Survey .........................................................73 Board of Examiners Results .......................................................................75 Results of TopiC No. 13 of Survey.............................................................78 Call Narratives Assessments ......................................................................79 Inferences from FoCus Groups ...................................................................87 Focus Group 1 Results ...............................................................................88 Focus Group 2 Results ...............................................................................90 Inferences of Call ExperienCes ..................................................................91 Holy Spirit as Liberator .............................................................................94 Conclusion .................................................................................................96 5. IMPLICATIONS FROM PROJECT RESEARCH .........................................98 Conclusions from ResearCh .......................................................................98 Personal ImpaCt and RefleCtions ................................................................99 Possibilities for Future Study ..................................................................100 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................103 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................109 A. Results from the 2018 Atlanta North GA Annual Conference .....................110 B. Letters of Permission .....................................................................................113 C. Focus Group Outline ......................................................................................116 D. Survey and FoCus Groups Email Invitation and Informed Consent .............118 E. Focus Group 1 and Survey Questions and PartiCipation ..............................121 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page F. Focus Group 2 StruCture and Questions ........................................................125 G. Text of Survey and Focus Groups Responses................................................128
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