2001
William Patrick Gahan, III
Miraculous Expectations in the Lone Star State: A Study of Congregations Moving from Maintenance to Mission in the Diocese of Texas
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, while situated in a region blessed with substantial population growth and abundant resources, was in a measurable spiral of decline. Church membership, baptisms, confirmations, stewardship, and worship attendance lagged significantly behind the exploding demographics of the diocese. In answer to the crisis, Bishop Claude E. Payne, Episcopal Bishop or Texas, devised and implemented is Vision of Miraculous Expectations. This thesis examines the Biblical, business, and current ecclesiastical scholarship contexts of the diocesan vision. Primarily, however, the study analyzes five congregations which have adopted the vision to determine if they have realized any tangible and edifying growth.