Academic Creativity and Excellence Day
The semi-annual research colloquium at Bushnell founded by Dr. Tim Bergquist.
CM 440 Integrative Project
Through community-engaged learning, students partnered with a transitional housing community and a local church to conduct needs assessments and facilitate grief support groups. This presentation highlights their implemented strategies and key learning outcomes from these real-world experiences.
CM 440, Grief and Loss
Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
Pomajevich 103
11 – 11:30 AM
Perfectionism in Christian Musical Worship
Pastors and church leaders are not immune from perfectionism; in fact perfectionism is very common in the church. Does this attitude of perfectionism held by leaders effect their ministry and their congregations? I intend to prove, through scholarly sources and research that perfectionism is sometimes dangerous but can be handled in a healthy way. This research address primarily church leaders and pastors but is also relevant to anyone involved in a church, especially worship. First, I explore a Christian perspective of perfection in comparison to a secular psychological one. Second, I research musical worship and the spiritual formation that happens when one worships. I also explore how perfectionism effects this formation process, and if the attitudes of the leader play a role. Third, I will demonstrate what types of perfectionism are dangerous in business leadership roles and apply them to the church structures. This research establishes that some forms of perfectionism and beneficial to healthy striving, but some are obsessive and damaging. I will conclude by giving some practical tips for how to manage perfectionism in yourself, and how to lead without leaving a bad example for our volunteers and congregations.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
David Reed
Pomajevich 103
10 – 10:30 AM
Capstone Proposal: Addiction, Redemption, and the Church: A Sociological and Theological Perspective
Addiction is a pressing issue in our times causing great harm to families and communities every day. I intend to prove that Christians in America are uniquely and advantageously positioned to address the addiction crisis and help addicts find meaningful recovery. First I will explore the state of the American addiction crisis and the factors that complicate finding recovery. Second I will describe the current state of the Christian response to addiction and explore how the ideas, resources and institutions put forward by Christins are addressing this issue head on today. Third I will use the best scholarly and theological resources to briefly describe what a heathy theological outlook and methodology could look like for an individual or local church looking for opportunities to serve people battling addiction In doing this I will also demonstrate how Christians have a future serving in this space. I will advocate for Christians to continue to invest money and energy into the cause of addiction recovery by providing practical ways for my listener to get involved.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
David Reed
Pomajevich 103
10:30 – 11 AM
The importance of Ministry Through “Storying”
The stories we share and listen to hold value as they mend purpose and connections to our surroundings. As humans, we often are caught up in our narratives that we neglect the people around us. According to biblical teachings, God has called us to care for these individuals who have been ignored. When we listen to the stories of the people who are entrusted to our care, it allows individuals to feel seen and heard, and gives them a sense of belonging.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
David Reed
L203
11 – 11:30 AM
The Biblical Use of Authority in Church Leadership
What was authority intended to look like among the followers of Christ, and how does that differ from what we see today? This thesis seeks to uncover a Scriptural understanding of authority in the church. We will look into the use of the Greek word exousia (“authority”) in the New Testament, and especially in 2 Corinthians 10:8, 13:10. These passages are part of a series of letters between Paul and a church that had been rather on and off in its submission to his guidance and authority—being swayed by other leaders to criticize his actions. Paul’s description of authority—especially within the context of the situations between him and the Corinthian church—will shed a lot of light on the broader questions I have about the use of authority in the church.
The hope is to uncover how exactly Paul used his apostolic position of authority in relation to the churches under his care, and how this sets an example for all others who find themselves in positions of church authority. This is most relevant to those in leadership positions who, like myself, want to best serve the church and avoid causing the type of damage we see all too often with mishandled authority, but it also holds importance for those under authority—that they might be able to discern healthy uses of authority from unhealthy and hold their leaders accountable.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
David Reed
L203
11:30 AM – Noon
Attitudes Towards Christianity In the United States
In the 21st century United States, Christianity has been increasingly associated with negative thoughts and attitudes by secular populations. Examining the factors that have caused theses cultural shifts is essential for ministers (all Christians) to understand how these attitudes can be changed and how best to navigate an ever-changing world. I cite three primary sources as to what cultural influences have shifted in these recent decades: Church culture, Western values, and the advent of individualism. These three pieces paint a picture of what, in my mind, are the most prominent features of shifting culture that is counter to Christianity. While we may also describe ‘individualism’ as one of the values of the West, I have intentionally separated it as an independent source as it is a weighty aspect in and of itself. We will examine the history of Christianity in the United States, secular culture, the pros and cons of Christianity and churches as perceived by the public, and what the Church can do to change the negative attitudes it now faces. We must remember one thing while exploring this topic, our objective isn’t inherently to get more individuals seated in our churches, but to be shepherds who more effectively help create more followers of Christ. The poor adaptation of churches to the world around is a prominent issue in and of itself; This is not to say that we change our beliefs, but that we adjust how we address the concerns and people around us. We must also concern ourselves with the criticisms of our churches in which they are warranted and not be defensive of our own shortcomings but learn from them.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
David Reed
L203
2 – 3 PM
Religious Belonging in Eugene, Oregon
Belonging is a blessing to the church that knows how to invite others into it well and a curse to the individual who does not feel as though they belong. Churches that practice and encourage belonging will not only be healthier but also will withstand the dechurching epidemic. There are many layers to understanding why this may be a hard practice for some of us, with important landmark events like the COVID-19 pandemic escalating what was only – at one point – boiling under the surface.
The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the impact of the pandemic on churches and emphasize the significance of belonging within a church community. To further explore these themes, I have conducted qualitative interviews with six local pastors to gain insight into what belonging in a church in Eugene, Oregon entails post-pandemic.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
L204
2 – 2:30 PM
Persecution or Christian Nationalism: The Christian Way
This paper will examine how faith in the context of church persecution is meant to inform the understanding of Christianity in American Christian culture. Using sources from theologians, peer-reviewed research, testimonials, biblical passages, and other historical sources and articles, the essay explores what persecution for faith looks like in modern times and ancient times, followed by defining features of Christian nationalism, and how the persecuted expression of faith seems to be incongruent with the views of Christian Nationalism and nationalistic positions.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
L204
2:30 – 3 PM
Effective Pastoral Care for Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Multigenerational Communities
What is effective pastoral care for baby boomers, generation x, millennials, and multigenerational communities? This research question has been the focus of my capstone since the beginning of the semester. As a Christian ministries major with a focus in pastoral ministry, I know that most of my time throughout my career will be spent providing spiritual care to those around me. It is obvious that this is a topic that will help me prepare for this task, but what if I told you that this topic is relevant to every church-going Christian? Pastoral care is an overlooked area of mental health which has the potential to help anyone struggling with things like depression, anxiety, life transitions, meaning making, and more. Finding a working definition of this concept and applying it to different populations is essential for its effective practice. Once this is established, effective pastoral care can be applied to a broad sociological profile for each of the generations mentioned in the research question. Finally, all this research will be applied to a multigenerational community such as a church serving multiple age groups in relationship. The findings of this capstone will prepare me to be a more effective practitioner of pastoral care and allow anyone in the audience to better understand how pastoral care can help them, regardless of the generational cohort they belong to or the experiences they have had throughout their lives.
CM499- Senior Capstone
Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
3:30pm – Bucher Room
Worship: The Key to Spiritual Formation and the Heart of Discipleship
This project shows how an individual’s view of worship impacts their spiritual maturity. This paper will define the terms “worship” and “liturgy,” walk through transforming uses of liturgy to direct our worship in a congregational setting, and show how liturgy can form and point our individual worship to God in day-to-day life. In these things we will find the key to becoming like Christ for our personal spiritual formation and our discipleship of others.
CM 499 – Senior Capstone
Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
4pm – Bucher Room
Remember and the Bible
Remembering is a major theme of the Hebrew Bible from altars to Israelites forgetting, and this theme persists into the New Testament. What can we learn about God through seeing how the word remember is used in the New Testament and how does that affect our walk with God? The words remember remind and forget come up eighty different times in the New Testament making them a central piece of these letters therefore christians should pay attention to how they are used. Some lessons that can be learned from examining how these themes are used are, praying for the persecuted church, dwelling on scripture, using physical reminders, having mentors/mentees, and more.
CM 499 – Senior Capstone
Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
3pm – Bucher Room
What Moses Can Teach Leaders About Grief in Ministry
Moses had a deep desire to enter the Promised Land with the Israelites, but the fulfillment of this desire was taken away from him by God. Moses had to continue doing ministry, knowing that his desires were never to be fulfilled. Many ministry leaders’ dreams and hopes for their church are being crushed during this post-pandemic time. They are in the time of decreased church attendance, deaths from the pandemic, increased political division, and more. They are in a state of grief and when that grief is ignored it results in consequences that are detrimental to a leader. These consequences can result in pastors burning out or can even result in pastors having to leave their churches. The story of Moses shows that these leaders are in good company, for Moses experienced these same pains of lost desire and deep grief. His response to this grief was to continue being faithful to his calling and to the people he was serving. Showing that ministry is hard and painful work but calls for awareness of the pain, and commitment to the calling ones received.
CM 499 – Senior Capstone
Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
4:00pm – 4:30pm L203
The God We Fear: The Leonine Imagery in Hosea and Amos
“The God We Fear: The Leonine Imagery in Hosea and Amos” is a capstone research project that solely focuses on the God that we as Christians should not only love, but fear just as much. In the Old Testament, Hosea and Amos present God as a roaring lion that not only warns the rebellious Israelites of their coming destruction brought upon them because of their sin with his roar, but also demonstrates his justice, majesty, power, boldness and patience as the alleged “king of beasts” that doesn’t hesitate to hunt down His prey. Leonine Imagery such as this resonated with the Ancient Israelites due to their experiences with lions terrorizing them as the incredible predators they are. Therefore, having God being depicted as a roaring lion that shows no mercy once provoked instills an even greater terror in those that broke their covenant promise with Him and worshipped others but Himself. With Israelites repeatedly turning to sin and their own destruction, God knew that the only way to rescue Israel from dooming themselves was to secure the nation’s heart through force, which is exactly how a lion deals with its prey. This grotesque imagery shocks and reminds the readers of any era that God is not only known for His love and forgiveness, but for His justice and righteousness. However, even after demonstrating His omnipotence and punishing Israel for their crimes, this is not the end of the story. Both books speak of a rising hope that will deliver Israel from certain death at God’s hands, because God cannot resist loving His people despite their glaring flaws. For those who repent, God portrays Himself as a loving father who always has His arms open in acceptance. God, as the lion, allowed Himself to be tamed by humanity due to His unfailing love. The “king of beasts” will make Himself gentle for those who submit to Him, since the reason He is a roaring lion was to win us back to Himself. This was accomplished through righteous fear from us and divine love from Him working in tandem, which should remind Christians that God is not only to be loved but to be feared and revered as the roaring lion He is. After all, as C.S. Lewis simply puts it, “He isn’t safe…But He’s good” (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, p.146).
CM 499 – Senior Capstone
Agam Iheanyi-Igwe
3:00pm – 3:30pm P103
The Darkest Nights Have the Brightest Stars: Reevaluating Light and Darkness in Johannine Literature
The imagery of light and darkness has always connoted very strong ideas through many diverse cultures. So too is light and darkness a key theme in Johannine literature. St. John of Patmos consistently uses the theme of light and darkness to demonstrate realities concerning the nature of God and those who follow him. The task presented here is to reevaluate traditional understandings of John’s use of light and darkness in light of the broader narrative of scripture. This paper will seek to envision the theme of light and darkness in Johannine literature as a continuation of this theme as found in the Hebrew scriptures. This project will also explore the interpretations of the theme utilized by the early church fathers Origen and Gregory of Nyssa, and will explore how their contrasting perspectives both portray distinct aspects of light and darkness as used by John. Distilling each of these sources into a coherent understanding of John’s imagery and use of light and darkness, this paper will demonstrate how God can be experienced and is present in both light and darkness.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Agametochukwu Iheanyi-Igwe
L203
Click here to view the live stream
10 – 10:30 AM
Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:
L203
Noon – 1 PM
7 Key Characteristics of Succesful Church Plants
The purpose of this paper is to provide church planters with a tool to help them do better with what they feel called to do. Close to one-third of church plants don’t make it to year 5, and the majority that do remain small and struggling, and this paper is to help church plants to continue to grow and flourish. This paper identifies seven key areas that are essential for church success, and goes into detail on how new plants can utilize them. The seven key areas are; Community Driven, Teamwork and Togetherness, Strong Vision, the Importance and Reality of the Gospel, an Evangelical Focus, Proper Marketing, and Strong Leadership. This paper goes in depth on how these seven characteristics are essential for today’s church planter, and looks at multiple different models of ministry that use these characteristics successfully.
CM 499, Capstone
Terry O’Casey
P103
11:30 AM – Noon
The Church & Youth Identity Formation
At the core of any human is their self-identity. The process of identity formation happens primarily during one’s youth. The culture of our world today is damaging for youth identity formation. Social Media and the entertainment industry promote unhealthy lifestyles and cause youth to form their identities around unhealthy things. Our hope with this study is to give churches a look into what they can do to help students form their identities around God instead of the world. First research was done in the area of identity formation, exploring different theories on how identity is formed in the human mind. Next, we studied adolescent culture in the past and present day. After identifying key influences on identity formation, we looked at how the church can answer the questions running around the minds of young students struggling to find their identity. Our main conclusions are that the Church needs to be a place where students can find their purpose in Christ, unconditional love, and relationships with older believers who can mentor them.
CM 499, Capstone
Terry O’Casey
P103
11 – 11:30 AM
“I Answered His Call: Women in Senior Pastoral Roles”
Despite the leaps and bounds that have been made in reinventing gender roles for women in the home, workplace, and public service, one area in which women continually find themselves being obstructed is that of pastoral ministry. Due to traditional views on women that can be traced back to pre-Hellenistic Middle Eastern social constructs, women who are called to preach or serve as senior pastors face massive criticism and are prevented from fulfilling their calling. One of the sources such critics turn to for their obstruction is scripture itself. Using scripture to justify the obstruction of women in pastoral ministry is to commit eisegesis as opposed to exegesis. This is not just a Christian problem, however, but a religious problem across the board. In this presentation we see this manifested in three case studies: Rabbi Sally Pritchard, the first female rabbi of the American Jewish community; Mother Superior Mary Clare Millea, an abbess and Vatican advocate with a PhD. in Canon Law; and the Right Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. By reviewing each of these American women of different faiths we see that despite their religious differences, they each tell a story of a contemporary woman who had to overcome traditional viewpoints and misapplication of scripture to answer God’s call to serve Him in pastoral ministry.
CM 499, Capstone
Mary Ann Winter-Messiers
P114
3:30 – 4 PM
Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:
L203
Noon – 1 PM
Redefining Communication and Education Through Storytelling and the Arts.
The majority of the world’s population identify as oral learners, meaning they more effectively understand and exchange information by means other than reading and writing. Despite this fact, oral communication has become a lost art over the years. Education systems and daily human interaction have come to rely on technology and print communication almost exclusively. This presentation focuses on the power and importance of orality-based communication, and addresses the benefits and validity of storytelling and the arts in education.
CM 499, Capstone
Terry O’Casey
P114
10 – 10:30 AM
The Injustice of Youth Homelessness
Homeless youth are typically between the ages of 12-24. Youth are homeless for a number of reasons, including aging out of the foster care system, getting kicked out of their homes, running to the streets due to abusive home lives, addictions to drugs and alcohol, and growing up in homeless families. Youth must learn to survive on the street, leading many to engage in risky behaviors such as survival sex and crime. Local to Eugene, there are hundreds of homeless youth, and thousands of homeless individuals. Nationally, there are millions. Youth homelessness is one of the greatest injustices in the 21st century. Society, specifically Jesus followers, must come together to help get homeless youth off the streets permanently. Jesus was near to the poor, and we must also be near to the poor. Although there are many long term remedies to helping homeless youth discover life, one immediate remedy is to teach them social skills and give them joyful experiences in community outings. Community outings are about reconciling youth back to society in a fun way, while teaching them vital life skills that will aid their future.
CM 499 Capstone
Terry O’Casey
PFB 114
11:00 – 11:30 AM
Re-thinking Church Tradition
The church has many traditions that are reminiscent of an era that for many Christians today were not a part of. The church must re-think and dismantle some of its sacred cows if it is going to survive and grow.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Terry O’Casey
L203
9 – 9:30 AM
The Imperfect Pastor
This essay wrestles with the difficulties of simultaneously being an imperfect person and a pastor who must lead others. Christians must be holy. People think that being holy means never messing up or a least coming as close to perfection as possible. Pastors feel the pressure to be perfect. Pastors are not to teach people how to live by a high moral standard but to show them by example how to love, acknowledge faults, and extend grace to others. Only then does the church reflect Christ. Otherwise, Christianity is nothing but a giant incoherency.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Terry O’Casey
L203
9:30 – 10 AM
Short Term Mission Benefits for Pastor, Church, and the World
This project is based on the idea that the effects of short term missions on the pastor, the church, and the world are beneficial to all three. Multiple missionaries have written about the ill effects of a short term mission trips gone wrong. However, this paper will display that the psychological and spiritual effects on pastors, the communal benefits to the church, and God’s plan being turned in actuality, will far out weigh the negative.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Terry O’Casey
L203
10 – 10:30 AM
Evangelism
The presentation is about a lifestyle of evangelism. God calls us to do many things; to share the good news is one of them, but all of his instructions work together. A lifestyle of following God is a lifestyle of evangelism. Let’s take a look at what this lifestyle looks like and how it has happened in the past.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Terry O’Casey
L203A
9:30 – 10 AM
Missionary Kid Kingdom Refugees
Spiritually, I will focus on Acts 17 and Paul dealing with Greek culture as an outsider, that God can be found within all cultures but all cultures have idols they need to turn from, even the United States. Missionary kids, even if they are now “non-believers,” are well versed in the Bible and its expectations, and should be put to work in getting the American Church on simply following Christ again and not cultural influences.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203A
10 – 10:30 AM
Integrating Technology into Churches
Since I am in college and going to be a Youth Pastor, technology is a part of my everyday life. I have visited churches with barely any technology and I believe that this younger generation needs technology in church as a way of connecting and staying relevant. So since I will be facing that problem soon, I thought I should tackle it now.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Terry O’Casey
L203A
10:30 – 11 AM
Uganda – Education and Orphans
In my capstone I went into detail about the need for education and the lack of resources orphans in Mukono, Uganda have. I will present my idea to provide relief for this growing dilemma in Uganda. I will discuss funding solutions, staffing problems, and logistics for a grassroots organization to start in Uganda. I will also share a personal story about my experience in Uganda and explain how that helps me understand the needs of the Mukono people a little better. I won’t attempt to solve all Uganda’s problems, just propose ideas to help.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203A
9 – 9:30 AM
Child Abuse Today and the Obligation of the Church
Child abuse is a big issue in the United States and is more apparent to observers today more than ever. In this paper I intend to focus on the church’s obligation to a child who has been abused or is at risk of abuse. Hopefully this research will enable me (as a Children’s Pastor) and others to help a child in need.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203A
9:30 – 10 AM
Evangelism: Relating to the World we live in and Telling it about Jesus
The message of Jesus is extremely important. However, this message has been reduced to quick Bible tracts we can hand out to people we don’t want to talk to or catchy billboards on the side of the highway. Examining the culture of this generation tells the importance of being a friend who cares about spiritual matters, and how the church should be present outside of its four walls.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203A
10 – 10:30 AM
Saving Today’s Teens from Self-harm
My capstone project is going to be on the importance of helping teenagers that self-harm themselves. I am also going to be backing up my paper by what God says in the Bible about how we should treat our bodies. I am going to be showing the steps and how to understand how young teens start the pattern of “self-harm.” The information is going to show you how and why teens start to injure themselves. These steps will identify in the preventative opportunities to help the teenager who is going through with “self-harm.”
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203A
10:30 – 11 AM
Clinical Chaplaincy
The basics are taking a deeper look at what clinical chaplaincy is, while getting an experience of what it would be like having a visit from a clinical chaplain.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Beth Aydelott
L203A
9:30 – 10 AM
A need for Postmodern Evangelism
A presentation of the media paradigm shifts of the past, present, and future along with the problems outside and inside the Christian churches. Also how to address those problems through the modern media paradigm.
CM 499, Senior Capstone
Dennis Lindsay
L203B
9 – 9:30 AM