Development and Assessment of Faculty-Student Mentor Groups for Spiritual Transformation of Current Students at Southeastern Bible College

2018·23 MB·English

by  BILLY THORNTON

DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF FACULTY-STUDENT MENTOR GROUPS
FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
OF CURRENT STUDENTS
AT SOUTHEASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE

A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY
BILLY THORNTON
JANUARY 2018
Copyright ã 2018 by Billy Thornton. All Rights Reserved.
I want to thank my family for supporting me through this endeavor. My wife, Lisha for her
patience and for her sacrifice in her support of me. I want to thank my sons, Bryce and Quinn. I
pray that as you watched me go through this process it encouraged you to know you can push
through and accomplish anything in Christ.
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
Chapter 1.
FACUTLY MENTORSHIP AND THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND
DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS OF CURRENT STUDENTS 1
Ministry Setting 1
Establishment of the College 1
Mission of SEBC 3
Spiritual Formation 4
Chapel 6
Men and Women’s Ministry Program 8
College/University Spiritual Formation Assessment 9
SEBC Current Spiritual Formation Assessment 10
Researching Perception of the Program Used for Spiritual Formation at SEBC 12
Student Interview Survey Response: Chapel 13
Men and Women’s Ministry Response 14
Faculty’s Role 15
The Role of SEBC in the Spiritual Formation of Students 17
Faculty Mentorship Program and Spiritual Growth Assessment 22
2. THE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
OF SPIRITUAL MENTORSHIP 24
Introduction 24
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Mentor: Definition 25
Biblical Perspective: Mentoring 30
Theological Perspective: Mentoring 35
Mentoring: Relationship 36
Mentoring: Accountability 40
Mentoring: Sanctification 44
Mentoring: Empower 48
Mentoring: Spiritual Direction 50
Conclusion 54
3. LITERATURE REVIEW: BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS, FACULTY
MENTORSHIP, AND CAMPUS MINISTRY STRATEGY 56
Introduction 56
Faith Development 58
Spirituality in Higher Education 61
Spiritual State of Teens/College Students 66
College and Faculty Roles in Student Development 75
Faith Mentor 80
Conclusion 90
4. SEBC STUDENT SPIRITUAL GROWTH ASSESSMENT
AND METHODOLOGY 91
SEBC Student Spiritual Formation Assessment Process 91
Mentor Group Research Methodology 92
Results 102
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5. SEBC FACULTY-STUDENT MENTOR GROUPS 107
Introduction 107
Faculty-Student Mentorships 108
Student Response to Mentor Group Survey 111
Faculty Response to Mentor Group Survey 117
Conclusion 120
6. FACULTY-STUDENT MENTOR GROUPS RECOMMENDATION 121
Spiritual Health Profile Assessment 121
Faculty-Student Mentor Group Assessment 121
Mentor Group 122
Group Choice 123
Curriculum 123
Faculty Training 124
Other Institutional Benefits of Mentor Groups 125
Appendix
A. SEBC SPIRITUAL FORMATION GOALS 127
B. SEBC APPROVAL LETTER 129
C. IRB APPLICATION 130
D. MENTORING RELATIONSHIP CONTINNUM MODEL 131
E. COLLEGE-WIDE ASSESSMENT 132
F. TRANSCRIPT OF THE FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS 159
G. INFORMED CONSENT FORM 167
H. SPIRITUAL HEALTH PROFILE 169
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I. WESYLAN-ARMINIAN SURVEY 173
J. MENTOR GROUP PARTICIPATION APPLICATION 176
K. MENTOR GROUP LESSON GUIDE 177
L. SPIRITUAL GIFT TEST 185
M. PASSION TEST (LEADERTREKS) 190
N. STUDENT MENTOR GROUP SURVEY 195
O. FACULTY MENTOR GROUP SURVEY 214
P. IPED GRADUATION RATE AND FALL ENROLLMENT 224
BIBIOGRAPHY 262
VITA 272

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to Southeastern Bible College for allowing me the time to pursue this
degree and conduct the study. I appreciate Dr. Lynn Gannett-Malick for her
encouragement and support as the chair of the Christian Education Department and my
friend. The faculty for their support and participation in the project portion of the study.
The students for their support, encouragement and participation in the project.
I am grateful for the editing of my papers throughout my studies by Carolyn
Wilhite and Dr. Cheryl Ross. Sarah Snyder a former student at SEBC who helped me
with organizing of information, assisting in conducting interviews, and transcribing the
focus group interviews. Dr. Ross for helping me think through the mentor group
evaluation and process. Joel Wolfe for assisting me in conducting the surveys and process
the data. Paul Roberts for his assistance in finding articles and books for the countless
papers and research portion of the project. Without each of you this would not have been
possible.
My wife, Lisha and my boys, Bryce and Quinn allowing me three years to pursue
and complete this degree. Thank you for your encouragement and jokes. I love you.

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ABSTRACT
This thesis-project includes an evaluation of the Spiritual Formation program and
offers research-driven suggestions to add mentor groups to the existing process. This
includes an exploration of the SEBC campus context, including the current student
population who are revered to as the Emerging Generation. An examination of the
biblical basis of mentoring is included to provide a base of why this is necessary to
include in the spiritual formation of college students. Evidence is included that
demonstrates mentorships assist the institution in meeting other goals; retention,
recruiting, as well as increase in student’s academic performance.

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CHAPTER ONE

FACULTY MENTORSHIP AND THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND
DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS OF CURRENT SEBC STUDENTS

Ministry Setting
The founders of The Birmingham School of the Bible established the school to
aid the local churches by providing Biblical and practical training for laypersons.1 The
school opened its doors in 1934 as a night school but changed its focus in 1941, offering
ministerial vocational training for those interested in full-time Christian service.2 The
following is a brief history of Southeastern Bible College, setting the social and historical
context for which this project originated.

Establishment of the College
Southeastern Bible College (SEBC) is an institution of higher education that is an
interdenominational Bible school. Edgar J. Rowe, layman at Norwood Baptist Church,
attended a conference held by Moody Bible Institute at Birmingham’s First Presbyterian
Church in 1930 and was stirred by the preaching at the meetings, leading him to want to
establish a Bible school in Birmingham, Al. Rowe worked with a group of local church
leaders from various denominations, and in 1934 the Birmingham School of the Bible
was established. Its purpose was to provide Biblical and practical ministry training for lay
people serving the local churches in Birmingham. Rowe stated, “The school’s purpose is
to teach a complete Bible course for all who feel their need of and have a desire to ‘study

1 Dwain Waldrep, “Fundamentalism, Interdenominationalism, and the Birmingham School of the Bible,
1927-1941,” The Alabama Review 49 (1996): 33.
2 Dwain Waldrep, History of Southeastern Bible College since 1935 (Birmingham, AL: Southeastern Bible
College, 2014), 2.
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