Tag: O’Casey T

Ryan Bates

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

Return to schedule

Mitchell Davis & Alec Duncan

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

Return to schedule

Chloe Combs & Joseph Laurendeau

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

Return to schedule

Calvin Anderson

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

Back to the schedule

Aaron Chesnut

Parental Influence

There is youth found in the church all over the United States and the world ranging from middle school to high school students. Youth is a very interesting topic of discussion because you never know what is going on in the minds you can only imagine and let time tell. We were all middle school and high school student at one point, some still claimed to be, though a lot has changed and there are so many different influences they face. Whether that be, friends, teachers, or professional athletes, there is one influences that out ways all. That would be your parents, single, divorced, or together they play the biggest factor in a youth’s life. The main point you will come across is parents have the biggest influences on their youth’s approach to church. In this paper you will see how much a parent is involved in church will depend on how much their son or daughter will be involved. The Author has also observes from his own experience in church and as a youth pastor. He will be able to show you a firsthand experience of youth and their parents.

CM 499, Capstone

Terry O’Casey

PFB 114

11:00 – 11:30 AM

Emily Helt

International Child Sponsorship as a Form of Holistic Ministry

Children in developing nations all over the world are currently living in situations of desperate poverty. Not only is poverty still a major issue, but poverty affects children more than it does adults. The majority of all children in the world live in developing nations, and living in such poverty during their foundational years causes these children to begin life at a disadvantage due to very tangible struggles. Without the resources that many in the developed world take for granted daily, children in poverty face challenges such as hunger, illness, and lack of education. Unless they receive outside support, many of these children find themselves struggling to just survive. Christians have a responsibility to care for the world’s poor, as is made clear throughout the Bible. International child sponsorship programs are an effective form of holistic ministry that have a positive long-term effect on the lives of children living in poverty in developing nations. Child sponsorship is holistic because it cares for every part of a person in poverty—spiritual, social, psychological, and physical. By not simply giving hand-outs, child sponsorship programs provide sustainable, long-term solutions to the problem of poverty by empowering people to break the cycle and improve their own lives, as well as their communities.

CMM 499, Capstone

Terry O’Casey

PFB 114

11:30 AM – Noon

Erica Johnston

Intimate Partner Violence

The purpose of this project is to show how the church has recently responded to intimate partner violence. This will include information about support programs currently offered by local churches and what is being done to prevent re-victimization. There will also be explanations of programs that are based on scripture that would best support this group of individuals within the church.

CM 499, Capstone

Terry O’Casey

PFB 114

Noon – 12:30 PM

Allison Keeney

Standing Strong

Even in times of tremendous trial, those throughout the Bible were able to stand strong in who they were and in who they knew God was. Jesus is the ultimate example of this, as He faced crucifixion and death, and He spent the time He had before this trial praying to His Father. Other examples of standing strong are Stephen (Acts 7), who was full of the Holy Spirit, Peter (Acts 12), who had the entire church body in constant prayer, and Paul and Silas (Acts 16), who spent their time in prison praying and singing. Standing strong in times of trial takes strength, but in the end, there is always an amazing outcome and reward for continuing in God’s plan. 

BTH 102, Engaging with the Bible

Terry O’Casey

Banquet Room

1:00 – 3:00 PM

Gabrielle Morales

I Am Peter

I have created an acrylic painting inspired by Matthew 14:22-27 through a prophetic vision. The artwork includes four separate canvases of different sizes. I desire each member of the audience to interpret their own meaning and apply the artwork to their own life, just as scripture serves as a means to strengthen one’s relationship with God. Therefore, I will not go into great lengths regarding my own interpretation. This is mainly due to the fact that I find my own perspective to change every time I view the piece. My interpretation of the scripture is from Peters own perspective as he views Jesus walking towards the disciples. As Jesus draws near, Peter is brought to life in the storm of his fragmented life, hence the four separate canvases. I have also included a separate portfolio of ten other artists and their rendition of the scripture. In this portfolio I have compared, contrasted, and analyzed each piece of art to my own to show different perspectives.

BTH 102, Engaging with the Bible

Terry O’Casey

L203

11:30 AM – TBA

Isaiah Blake

Orality in Hungary

This presentation will focus on Biblical orality. The first segment of the project will focus on what orality mean; what it entails; and what it looks like throughout different parts of the world. Examples will include orality in Costa Rica, Nigeria and Cambodia. The remaining portion of the project is devoted entirely to orality in Hungary. The historical and cultural background of Hungary will be covered first. Next, the principles of orality will be applied in a hypothetical approach in presenting the Gospel to the Hungarian people. These principles will be compared and contrasted with the other countries mentioned. The goal is to create a possible method of sharing the Gospel of Christ to the Hungarian people using orality. 

CM 499 Capstone

Terry O’Casey

P114

10:30 AM

Joshua Higashi

How the invention of writing changed societies and the way people think.

In CM 345: Orality, we take a deeper look into communicating the Gospel and telling Biblical stories in specific ways to reach certain people groups. People lie along the lines of a primarily oral culture (listening and speaking) and a primarily literate culture (textual and print based). Many people have a very ethnocentric point of limiting their ability to reach further groups. Learning how people from both cultures think will allow one to adapt his/her thinking and presentation style to relate to the specific people group(s). Father Walter Ong’s book discusses how speech is the first communication and literacy comes after. In the past words had power and would resonate in the souls of the people and now printed writings are kept on shelves. Ong does not discredit textuality nor does he say it is negative, Ong simply discusses how the advancing and creation of writing has changed the way people in society think. Today, there are many societies that are heavily influenced by literate thinking, but are still rooted in oral processes. Specifically in the islands of Hawaii many natives speak a creole known as pidgin while writing is taught and required; as a child many stories were passed from person to person by word of mouth. I will be recreating and performing a story from the Bible in Hawaiian Pidgin English. 

CM 345 Orality

Terry O’Casey

P003

2 PM

Raquel Inman

God Lets Me Spin: Accepting and Integrating Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

As the rates of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder increase, it is imperative that the leadership of churches learn how to best accept and integrate children with this disorder. This paper is designed to give an introduction to accomplishing these goals. It includes an overview of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, the author’s personal connection to the topic, and motivation for change based on Jesus’ and the early church’s ministries. Furthermore, examples of how some churches are currently treating children diagnosed with this disorder are presented. Finally, challenges specific to attending a Sunday morning service are addressed and solutions are given. By gaining a better understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder and possible difficulties present on a Sunday morning, church leadership teams will be better prepared to successfully accept and integrate children with this disorder. 

CM 499 Capstone

Terry O’Casey and Mary Ann Winter-Messiers

P114

11 AM

Allison Keeney

God’s Promises

God has given a promise to each and every person, whether in His word or specifically tailored to us individually. According to I John, God is love and God is good, therefore His promises are good and full of love as He is incapable of operating in anything other than love. We know that God’s promises are for us and not against us, as it states in Romans 8:31 that God, Himself, is for us and not against us. Throughout the word, we are shown time after time of God’s faithfulness and the faithfulness of His promises. God’s promises that He has given to each and every person are good, for us, and faithful. The deciding factor in whether we step into these promises is us. How do I talk about God’s promises, what are the words that I let out of my mouth?

BTH 101 Engaging with the Bible: How to Read the Bible in the 21st Century

Terry O’Casey

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Megan McKinney

Life of a Blue Eyed, Blonde Haired Korean Youth Pastor 

I will be talking about what it’s like to grow up in an American Presbyterian Church and then work in one and then what it’s like working in a Korean Presbyterian Church. I will also talk about the history of the Presbyterian Church in the US and in Korea. 

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terry O’Casey

P114

1 – 1:30 PM

Rebecca Espinoza

Joy Will Come in the Morning: a Study of Death

An adolescent goes through puberty, school, relationships, & all the changes in between. A death can be a traumatic experience for a growing adolescent. An adolescent’s development is affected both physically & emotionally when experiencing a loss. Stories of loss through death are weaved throughout the pages of the Bible. It gives accounts of people losing loved ones & how they grieved their loss. The process of grief & coping is handled differently with adolescents. When death happens during the formative years of an adolescent, they need to have the support of those around them to help cope.

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terrence O’Casey

A201

9 – 9:30 AM

Rebecca Espinoza

That’s a lot of BULL…ying

Bullying is defined as the maltreatment of another being. Bullying was done in the presence of the individual(s) being mistreated. The human reaction to the treatment of an abusive being was present. As time and technology progressed, so has bullying. Cyber bullying has come from the progression. Cyber bullying removes the human reaction from the abusive party. The abusive party can be anonymous and as brutal as they choose. This not only affects the psychological and identity development of the bullied, but also the actions the individual(s) takes to handle the maltreatment.

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terry O’Casey

A201

9:30 – 10 AM

David Wadsworth

Living a Life of Forgiveness

At the end of what is commonly referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13 the Lord furthers instructs His disciples about the importance of forgiving others, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt. 6:13-14). The workshop designed for church use, will explore why we need to forgive, what forgiveness is and isn’t, and practicing a lifestyle of forgiveness including forgiving those who may have already passed on.

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terry O’Casey

P103

1:30 – 2 PM

Sierra Willis

Biblical Discipleship

Today, churches have several different ministry models from which they draw from including business, cultural, and institutional. However, the Apostle Paul defined his ministry according to Scripture, and we should do the same. Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus gave us an example of discipleship in which he went and called his disciples, discipled them, and sent them out to do the same. This also should be our model for ministry: go, make disciples, and send out. 

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terry O’Casey

P103

1 – 1:30 PM

Joshua LaPoint

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

Robert Tulloch

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

Robert Bell

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

Alexander Plew

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