Giving up control : a process of group spiritual formation for leading church governing boards from maintaining control to giving permission

Joseph  H Eby

Etd

Giving up control : a process of group spiritual formation for leading church governing boards from maintaining control to giving permission

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Joseph H Eby. Giving Up Control : a Process of Group Spiritual Formation for Leading Church Governing Boards From Maintaining Control to Giving Permission. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/3cd3e262-1c6b-433b-b029-e9e905d5aaff.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

J. H. Eby. Giving up control : a process of group spiritual formation for leading church governing boards from maintaining control to giving permission. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/3cd3e262-1c6b-433b-b029-e9e905d5aaff

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Joseph H Eby. Giving Up Control : a Process of Group Spiritual Formation for Leading Church Governing Boards From Maintaining Control to Giving Permission. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/3cd3e262-1c6b-433b-b029-e9e905d5aaff.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Joseph H Eby

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In Copyright

Abstract

The transition of a church governing structure from tradition driven to permission giving is a study in organizational dynamics, paradigm shifts, spiritual evaluation, and, transformation. As evidenced in this project, a revelation determined the course and became the impetus of promoting spiritual growth in church leadership. Chapter One focuses on the component of self-discovery and the realization that church governing bodies, specifically Chatham (Illinois) Presbyterian Church, was in need of a change in direction and development during a period of exceptional growth. Chapter Two explains that transformation encompasses all spiritual components of a church body, all driven by a common goal of influencing the congregation, especially when church membership and participation is in a nationwide decline. Chapter Three illustrates the process of spiritual transformation for the 21st century and the path toward giving up control to God. The worldview of the Church must change in order to be set apart from all other organizations. Chapter Four offers several means to understand what it means to 'give up control of one's life to God.' Defining this term as submission, it is understood that submission is a voluntary act by which one yields either to the authority of another, or in the case of equals, yields to another because it is called for in the relationship. Chapter Five describes the process and experience of the Session of Chatham Presbyterian Church on the spiritual formation and spiritual direction path toward transformation. Session members/Elders had expressed a desire for a deeper spiritual experience and the application began in earnest. Chapter Six details responses given by Session members/Elders to interview questions regarding the spiritual formation process.

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