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A Curriculum for the Wesleyan Methodist Church

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A Curriculum for the Wesleyan Methodist Church ABSTRACT DISCOVER YOUR WESLEYAN DNA: A CURRICULUM FOR THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND by Richard James Waugh New Zealand is one of the most secular and pluralistic nations in the world, and the Wesleyan theological tradition has a minority place within the New Zealand church environment. In this situation, members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand (WMCNZ) can be exposed to a high risk of losing their newly fostered Wesleyan theological identity. An effective means is needed for WMCNZ members to gain knowledge of, commit to, and engage with the theology and unique distinctives of the Wesleyan tradition (Wesleyan DNA). The purpose of this research project was to increase lay participants’ knowledge of, commitment to, and engagement with the theology and mission of the WMCNZ, through the teaching of a five-part Discover Your Wesleyan DNA seminar series. The ministry intervention was the teaching of the seminar series on themes of Creator’s mission, salvation, transformation, means of grace, and ministry with the poor. Participants were self-selected lay volunteers of different ages and cultural backgrounds, and a qualitative methodology ensured extensive feedback using a demographic survey, pre-seminar and post-seminar responses, focus group work, and participant-observer analysis. Positive results indicated the number of participants describing themselves as moderately changed or much changed was consistently around double those who described themselves as not changed or a little changed. Further written answers and focus group responses recorded many specific personal changes participants had made in their lives and in their church and community involvement as a result of participating in the seminar series. DISSERTATION APPROVAL This is to certify that the dissertation entitled DISCOVER YOUR WESLEYAN DNA: A CURRICULUM FOR THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND presented by Richard James Waugh has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for the DOCTOR OF MINISTRY degree at Asbury Theological Seminary January 7, 2010 Mentor Date January 7, 2010 Internal Reader Date January 7, 2010 Dean of the Beeson Program Date DISCOVER YOUR WESLEYAN DNA: A CURRICULUM FOR THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Richard James Waugh May 2010 © 2010 Richard James Waugh ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................ vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................. viii DEDICATION................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM ....................................................................................................1 Introduction..............................................................................................................1 Background..............................................................................................................4 Religion in Contemporary New Zealand Society ..................................................11 Problem..................................................................................................................12 Purpose...................................................................................................................15 Research Questions................................................................................................15 Research Question #1 ................................................................................16 Research Question #2 ................................................................................16 Research Question #3 ................................................................................16 Definition of Terms................................................................................................16 Ministry Intervention .............................................................................................17 Context of Study ....................................................................................................18 Methodology..........................................................................................................21 Participants.................................................................................................22 Instrumentation ..........................................................................................23 Data Collection ..........................................................................................24 Data Analysis.............................................................................................25 iii Delimitations and Generalizability ............................................................25 Theological/Ecclesial Foundation..........................................................................26 Overview of the Dissertation .................................................................................30 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE.............................................................................................31 Introduction............................................................................................................31 Mission...................................................................................................................32 Denominational Identity ........................................................................................35 John Wesley’s Own Claims about Methodism......................................................37 Wesleyan Distinctives Discussed ..........................................................................40 Five Key Aspects of Wesleyan Theology..............................................................50 Creator’s Mission.......................................................................................51 Salvation ....................................................................................................54 Transformation...........................................................................................59 Means of Grace..........................................................................................63 Ministry with the Poor ...............................................................................69 Curriculum Design Literature................................................................................74 Research Design Literature....................................................................................80 Summary................................................................................................................85 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................86 The Problem Restated............................................................................................86 The Purpose Restated.............................................................................................87 Research Questions................................................................................................88 Research Question #1 ................................................................................88 iv Research Question #2 ................................................................................88 Research Question #3 ................................................................................88 Population and Participants....................................................................................89 Design of the Study................................................................................................90 Instrumentation ..........................................................................................90 Variables ....................................................................................................91 Face Validity..............................................................................................92 Data Collection ......................................................................................................93 Data Analysis.........................................................................................................95 Ethics......................................................................................................................96 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS...................................................................................................98 Problem and Purpose .............................................................................................98 Profile of Participants ............................................................................................99 Research Question One—Participant’s’ Profile ..................................................103 Research Question Two—Changes Observed.....................................................104 Examples of Seminar Answers—Question Five..................................................110 Example of Focus Group Comments...................................................................113 Research Question Three—Curriculum Highlights.............................................119 Summary..............................................................................................................124
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