Southeastern Alumni Magazine - Winter 2023

NAMIAH SIMPSON: NURSING, MISSIONS AND SERVING OTHERS A nursing graduate, 10-time NAIA Track and Field All-American and two-time Academic All-American, Namiah Simpson discovered her passion on a medical mission trip to Uganda. There, she found a love for serving others and showing Christ through medicine, and now sees her future nursing career as her mission field. FROM NASHVILLE TO A CATTLE RANCH – A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ELI MOSLEY Whether he’s touring across the nation with his band or managing a cattle ranch in Bartow, Fla., Eli Mosley is doing what he loves. As a country music artist, he frequently travels to Nashville, Tenn., where he records and produces his music and has traveled across the country and performed with several country music stars including Tracy Byrd, Joe Nichols and many others. ISAAC EISENHAUER: FINANCE GRADUATE, BUSINESS OWNER AND EDUCATOR Ever since high school, Isaac Eisenhauer knew he wanted to go into finance. He is now the owner and a portfolio manager at IvyLine Capital, an investment firm and macro-driven equity fund, and has used his experience in the business world to teach finance students and prepare them for their careers. JAMIE HALE: CREATING COMMUNITY AND MINISTERING THROUGH DERMATOLOGY After doing a research project in high school, Jamie Hale discovered her love for dermatology. She now co-owns Azeal Dermatology Institute in Boulder, Colo., where she has served and ministered to her local community for the past seven years. SOUTHEASTERN ON THE COVER Zack and his wife, Jenna (Pruitt) Whitt, are expressing the love of Jesus locally and internationally through unconventional avenues such as their bakery, coffee shop and CrossFit. SHOWING JESUS THROUGH COFFEE, PASTRIES, WEIGHTLIFTING AND MISSIONS Zack and his wife, Jenna (Pruitt) Whitt, are making a difference in their community and around the world. As pastors in Lake Norman, N.C., the couple live out their faith through their coffee shop, bakery, and through their involvement with CrossFit and several AG missions’ organizations. FROM SEU TO WGEM NEWS In Quincy, Ill., five Southeastern graduates have reunited at the tri-state news station, WGEM. Together, they have found community and enjoyed learning and growing alongside one another in their new positions at the NBC-affiliated television station. MIKE COOPER: LOVING NEIGHBORS WITH THE DREAM CENTER For over 14 years, Mike Cooper has been dedicated to establishing the Dream Center of Lakeland’s connection to the surrounding community as its executive director. Through programs and resources including mentoring, neighborhood cleanups, and food and clothing distribution, Mike and the Dream Center aim to fulfill the needs of local community members.https://firescholars.seu.edu/seu_alumni/1017/thumbnail.jp

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF DIGITAL RESOURCES BASED ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Many factors impact teachers’ decisions about when and how to implement technology during instruction. However, a gap exists in understanding teachers’ motivations for technology integration and face-to-face instruction. Therefore, this qualitative case study explored how teachers’ perceptions of student achievement, motivation, classroom behaviors, and digital challenges influenced their decisions about using technology or direct instruction in the classroom setting. A group of 20 teachers from two southern Florida public elementary schools completed anonymous Likert-scale surveys; six teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings determined via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis revealed that teachers’ inclusion of technology and traditional resources is influenced by teachers’ perceptions of students’ achievement, motivation, behavior, and technology challenges during instruction. To increase technology inclusion, teachers stressed the importance of a balanced and ethical learning experience that promotes students’ achievement. Participants indicated that to increase teachers’ technology inclusion, greater focus must be placed on resources that enhance students’ learning and achievement rather than focusing on student motivation, behavior, and technology challenges

Southeastern Alumni Magazine - Summer 2023

LANDON HAYS: USING RUBIK’S CUBES FOR GOD’S GLORY After creating a portrait of Jesus out of Rubik’s Cubes for a senior project, Landon Hays discovered he could use his talent to glorify God. He is now a Rubik’s Cube ambassador and has been commissioned by national and international organizations to create portraits and share them on social media, some of which have accumulated more than 4 million views. HEIDI HESTER: A TOP SECRET CALLING Out of the 12,000 students who applied, Heidi Hester was one of a few hundred accepted to participate in a 10-week paid summer internship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Honors Internship Program. As part of the program, Hester was able to jump-start her career in criminal justice by gaining experience going on searches, meeting with members of the evidence response team, visiting a federal court and riding in a Black Hawk helicopter. DAVIS INGLE: THE PATH TO THE WHITE HOUSE After taking an internship in Washington, D.C., Davis Ingle discovered a passion for politics and government that would change the course of his career. This would eventually lead him to serve as a press assistant in the White House, where he had the opportunity to travel and work directly alongside former President Donald Trump and his staff. JIM WELLBORN: MAKING CONNECTIONS FOR GOD’S KINGDOM Over his 50-plus years in ministry, Jim Wellborn traveled to 71 countries and led thousands of youth on missions trips around the world. He now works in builder relations for Builders International, where he connects churches, volunteers and organizations to projects worldwide. JENNIFER COURTNEY: A CLASSICAL EDUCATOR Jennifer Courtney is the global curriculum director for Classical Conversations MultiMedia, a homeschooling parent and the first graduate from Southeastern’s master’s in classical studies program. As a part of her role, she oversees a team of writers, creates new curriculum and provides training for Classical Conversations’ international partners. THE DEWEERDTS: FORGING NEW PATHS WITH EDUCATION With a father, mother and son all having graduated from Southeastern’s Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership program, and another son pursuing a degree in music business, the DeWeerdts consider themselves a Southeastern family. They were able to find degree programs that fit their unique ministry roles, whether it be as senior pastors, a musician or the online pastor for their church’s metaverse campus.https://firescholars.seu.edu/seu_alumni/1018/thumbnail.jp

CALLED TO SERVE: DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF PENTECOSTAL PASTORAL AND PRACTICE FROM PENTECOSTAL THEOLOGY AND TRADITION

Alongside Pentecostalism’s continued growth in both adherents and influence, there has also been an effort amongst contemporary Pentecostal scholarship to crystalize the ways in which Pentecostal theology and tradition finds its expression in practical theology. At present, too little effort has been dedicated to clearly articulating a theological vision for the role of the pastor in a Pentecostal church in a way that aligns with the movement’s unique contours. The aim of this research was to discover the impact of a presentation of Pentecostal theology and tradition on the development of the pastoral identity and practice of Assemblies of God ministers in Ohio. The project gathered the perspectives of a group of Assemblies of God ministers who had previously participated in focus groups in November 2020. The 2020 focus groups were conducted to organically capture the implicit perspectives of the participants related to Pentecostal pastoral ministry. The 2023 research project utilized participants from the 2020 focus groups and included a presentation on Pentecostal theology and tradition, followed by a discussion session amongst the participants. In the discussion, the participants used the presentation materials as a constructive framework to define Pentecostal pastoral identity and practice. The results of the two studies were then compared to evaluate the impact of the presentation on the views of the participants related to Pentecostal pastoral theology

FAITHFUL IS THE WORD: FORGING A PASTORAL MENTALITY BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE PHRASE “PISTOS HO LOGOS” AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS WHEN APPLIED TO PASTORAL SUCCESSION

The aim of this thesis is to develop a biblically grounded resource that will prepare incoming pastors who will succeed retiring pastors of local churches. Studies show that most church succession attempts are not deemed successful, which is concerning since, over the next ten to twenty years, the American church will experience the largest wave of retiring pastors it has ever seen. This work addressed two learning gaps, as little exists in the form of resources directed primarily at incoming pastors and research on the clause Pistos ho Logos. Therefore, the primary research questions were “What are the meaning and significance of Pistos ho Logos, and what principles might the clause suggest that could equip incoming pastors to take up their new positions faithfully?” Using a qualitative study of the lived experience of pastors who experienced succession, and a theological analysis of a unique Pauline clause that appears only five times in the Pastoral Epistles, Pistos ho Logos, the findings show applications with spiritual and organizational leadership implications. The significance of this study is that it provides a pastor mentality based on the faithfulness of the Word of God that will enable them to faithfully lead plateauing or declining congregations through the difficulties experienced in pastoral succession

YOUNG ADULT ATTRITION IN THE AMERICAN CHURCH: THE SUSPECTED CAUSES AND SUGGESTED CURES

Young adults in America today are deciding that the Church is no longer relevant, so they are choosing to drop out in increasing numbers. Their disaffiliation from communities of faith is also harming their personal faith. This observation is irrespective of Church denominations; their exodus occurs in most faith groups, including Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations. Consequently, the future vitality of the Church is threatened. Why does this problem exist, and what can be done to intervene and change the downward trajectory? What should Christian parents and ministry leaders do differently to achieve a higher retention rate of children transitioning through adolescence into adulthood? The research of this project seeks to discern the cause of this withdrawal and recommend solutions to reverse this debilitating trend. Young adults were interviewed – those who have remained in the Church and those who have checked out. Parents of young adults and ministry leaders in positions to observe those young adults were also interviewed. Other researchers have conducted extensive qualitative and quantitative analyses on the perspectives of young adults. Reasons for ecclesiastical departure by young adults have been categorized and noted. The uniqueness of this project is the nexus of Christian parents and ministry leaders partnering together with biblical principles as they focus on the spiritual development of children so that they remain in the Church and the faith. As parents focus on improving the spiritual formation of children in the home and as ministry leaders concentrate on improving the discipleship of children in the Church, the divine blessings promised in Scripture about such collaborative efforts will be explored in this study

SECONDARY TEACHING THRIVING: INVESTIGATING SECONDARY TEACHER WELL-BEING AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THRIVING

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary teacher thriving using the PERMA well-being model. This non-experimental, quantitative survey aimed to discover secondary teachers’ well-being and how the dimensions of well-being are predictive of thriving among secondary teachers in the United States. Using a comprehensive researcher-created instrument assessing participants’ sense of thriving and PERMA well-being, the study resulted in statistically significant findings with 55 secondary teachers participating in the survey. Both sense of thriving and the dimensions of thriving were statistically significant in a one sample ttest. Demographics, such as school classifications, years of experience, and geographic locations, were statistically significant using an ANOVA analysis. Of the five dimensions of thriving, positive emotions, engagement, and positive relationships were statistically predictive of thriving in a secondary classroom. While future studies need to be completed on teacher thriving, this study provides a comprehensive instrument to examine secondary teacher thriving in the classroom

EXPANDING THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE OF APOLOGETICS IN EVANGELISM

This paper examines the scope of Apologetics. It argues for the need of a nuanced, holistic form of Apologetics that incorporates a vast array of forms of persuasion that may be used by the Holy Spirit to show a nonbeliever the truth of the Gospel and the necessity to trust in Jesus. It records data from a quantitative study which investigated the personal faith journeys of disciples of Christ and the factors which helped to persuade them of the truth of the Gospel and to submit to the leadership of Jesus. This thesis proposes that the common evangelical understanding of the scope of Apologetics is too narrow and should be expanded to include other forms of valid persuasion. It proposes a nuanced definition of Apologetics: the art and science of offering valid forms of persuasion for the truth of Christianity which the Holy Spirit may use to reveal the truth of the Gospel to unbelievers

EXPLORING THE APPLICATION OF COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS IN THE WORKPLACE

This qualitative case study answers the central research question “How are compassionate leadership behaviors encouraged and/or discouraged in the workplace?” Interviews with five individuals from one work team in an Am Law 100 law firm revealed how the compassionate leadership behaviors of integrity, accountability, presence, empathy, authenticity, and dignity (Shuck et al., 2019) were applied at work. This research explored four themes: leadership courage, growth mindset, empowerment, and coaching performance. Each theme has four subthemes further describing the data: Leadership courage: managing consistently and fairly, being transparent, communicating honestly, and taking risks; Growth mindset: working intentionally, developing others, learning continuously, and self-reflecting to improve; Empowerment: dispersed decision-making, fostering diversity of thought, seeking employee input, and respecting/caring for the individual; Coaching performance: giving/receiving feedback, upholding accountability, setting/clarifying expectations, and facilitating productive conversations. Robert Greenleaf’s (1977) servant leadership theory framed the study. Limitations of the study include a singular industry and organizational focus, data sources solely from interviews, and the constrained definitions of compassionate leadership by Shuck et al. (2019). Future research should replicate the study in other groups and organizations and consider quantitative experiments to compare employee and leader perspectives

COLLEGE STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF TRAFFICKING AND PORNOGRAPHY

Sex trafficking is an epidemic plaguing the world and is being fueled by the increasing demand for pornographic material. Awareness of trafficking is rising in America, however there is still a lack of information on the topic. This quantitative study seeks to gauge an understanding of college students’ knowledge of trafficking, pornography, and their interconnectedness. The research was conducted via an online survey sent out to students at Southeastern University. With 113 respondents, the findings of the study reveal that students feel a level of uncertainty surrounding the topic of trafficking and pornography. The students have not so much been misinformed, but rather they have been uninformed. Analysis of this study reveals a basis for the reformation of educational curriculum on both trafficking and pornography. Results of this study allude to a need for educational resources on what trafficking truly looks like, as well as how pornography holds an imperative role in the prevalence of trafficking