Date of Award

Winter 2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

College of Education

Primary Advisor

Dr. Janet Deck

Second Advisor

Dr. Thomas Gollery

Third Advisor

Dr. Karen Ingle

Abstract

The aim of this study was to empirically evaluate the impact that strategic enticing events exerted upon the overall health and growth of the church site studied from 2000 to 2001. A within-subjects, quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Specifically, a repeated measures, pre-test/post-test design using an initial baseline measure and two subsequent post-test measures were used to assess study participant perceptions on the topic of church health. The specific treatment variable employed in the two post-test phases of the study was the presence of leader-enacted strategic enticing events. The influence of strategic enticing events exerted a statistically significant effect upon the perceptions of participants regarding church health indicators across the three phases of the study. All comparisons were manifested at statistically significant levels with concomitant large to very large magnitudes of comparative effect. The single greatest magnitude of participant change was manifested in the church health indicator of Diversity of Worship Access, closely followed by the indicator of Community Well-Being and the church health indicator of Tithing and Offering was least impacted by the strategies amongst the nine indicators. The individual church health indicator of Individual Spiritual Growth represents the most robust predictor of overall church health within the predictive model. Church-level indicators of Community Well-Being and Diversity of Worship Access represented the most robust predictors of overall church health within the predictive model. The factor or dimension of Outreach/Diversity of Worship represents the most robust correlate and predictor of overall church health within the predictive model.

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