Discipleship in a Disney Culture: The Effect of Christian Self-Denial on Perceived Delight in Jesus and Others

Joel Van Soelen

Etd

Discipleship in a Disney Culture: The Effect of Christian Self-Denial on Perceived Delight in Jesus and Others

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Joel Van Soelen. Discipleship In a Disney Culture: The Effect of Christian Self-denial On Perceived Delight In Jesus and Others. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d3a07402-feb8-49c5-b94f-0e6bf57a4653.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

J. V. Soelen. Discipleship in a Disney Culture: The Effect of Christian Self-Denial on Perceived Delight in Jesus and Others. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d3a07402-feb8-49c5-b94f-0e6bf57a4653

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Joel Van Soelen. Discipleship In a Disney Culture: The Effect of Christian Self-Denial On Perceived Delight In Jesus and Others. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d3a07402-feb8-49c5-b94f-0e6bf57a4653.

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

Creator

Joel Van Soelen

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In Copyright

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to test the hypothesis that a six-week small group focused onChristian self-denial, in loving God and others, would lead to an increase in perceived delight inJesus and others among members of Anaheim Christian Reformed Church in Anaheim, CA.Self-denial is a key component in living as a disciple of Jesus. The research identifiedconsumerism as an obstacle. Self-denial in the writings of Augustine, John Calvin, and TimothyKeller were researched. Small group participants learned about the role of self-denial in theChristian life and completed assignments to help them grow in their relationship with God andothers through Christian self-denying practices. A mixed methods approached was utilized toassess the effectiveness of the project. Quantitative data showed a significant increase inhappiness from pretest to post-test. Qualitative data evidenced a change in thinking in regards tothe positive nature of self-denial in the Christian life through journal entries and from pre-interview to post-interview responses. The conclusion of the project revealed the positive view ofChristian self-denial in discipleship, the vital nature of small groups, and the importance ofreflection to encourage delight Jesus and others.

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