DESCRIPTION:

This is a course on biblical, theological and practical foundations for creating a learning community in which the whole people of God, laity and clergy, are formed for community and mission. Many aspects of a church's life and activities (worship, small groups, story telling, education, spiritual disciplines, organizational development) will be viewed regarding their role in forming and equipping the congregation toward gospel faithfulness. Topics include ecclesiology and missiology, the relationship between clergy and lay leaders, the relationship between personal and corporate formation, intergenerational and intercultural life, the relationship of careers to the life and mission of a church, and resources in spiritual formation.

Cognitive: conceptual connections between theology, church models, leadership, and the idea of a learning community; Skills: curriculum planning to advance congregational life that promotes formation, including learning, deepened relationships, full participation, and missional characteristics; Conation: vision for and commitment to forming congregations as learning, missional, spiritual communities of faith.

The class will meet for two hours, twice weekly, for ten weeks. Class will include lectures, individual and group exercises, reflective discussions of materials and experiences, and group presentations.

Guder, D., ed. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending Church in North America. Eerdmans, 1998.

O'Connor, Elizabeth. Servant Leaders, Servant Structures. The Servant Leadership School, 1991.

Pazmino, Robert. Latin American Journey: Insights for Christian Education in North America. United Church Press, 1994.

Stevens, R. Paul & Phil Collins. The Equipping Pastor. The Alban Institute, 1993.

Wimberly, Anne Streaty. Soul Stories: African American Christian Education. Abingdon, 1994.

Class Reader (including Ng, Yoder, Westerhoff, Hauerwas, Gelpi, Brueggemann).

Everist, Norma Cook. The Church As Learning Community. Abingdon, 2002.

Foster, Charles. Educating Congregations. Abingdon, 1994.

Ng, David & Virginia Thomas. Children in the Worshiping Community. John Knox Press, 1981.

Ogden, Greg. The New Reformation: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Zondervan, 1990.

Westerhoff, John H. Will Our Children Have Faith? Rev. ed. Morehouse, 2000.

Yoder, John Howard. Body Politics: Five Practices of the Christian Community Before the Watching World. Discipleship Resources, 1994.

(1) Read assignments as scheduled; keep a reading log for submission; arrive ready to discuss readings. Read texts, assigned articles and preapproved pages totaling 1200 pages. (2) Write two 1500 word papers, the first focused on the goals (or the "what") of forming congregations as learning communities, the second on the means (or "how") we do this work. (3) In teams, develop a major ministry plan with a multifaceted curriculum (including a written handout) for promoting congregational formation that moves toward being a learning community in which all members come to see themselves as ministers. Provide a 20 minute "briefing" to the class. (4) To pursue an A or A-, write a 1200 word paper that reads the Sermon on the Mount or Colossians in light of class concepts.

Meets the M. Div. core requirement in Christian Formation and Discipleship (MIN 4).