Winter 2006/Pasadena
GM587
Clark

GM587: PRACTICUM IN COMMUNITY-BASED LEADERSHIP. Chapman Clark.


DESCRIPTION: The aim of this course is to provide practical experiences for students who are taking the MA in Christian Leadership, Ministry of the Laity Concentration. Students will focus especially on identifying the perceptions, dilemmas, needs and institutional cultures of lay people involved in mutual ministry in the church (GM586) or in the world (GM587). Participants will engage in a project designed to prepare them to assist lay people to deal with these aspects of their divine calling.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) understand and experience how to assess a given ministry's needs and culture, especially as it relates to leadership; (2) observe and experience the dynamics of an organization's leadership and compare that to their own leadership style, history, and philosophy; (3) theologically reflect on the relationship of power related to organizational responsibilities and the commitment to equipping all of God's people for ministry; and (4) develop and practice a theologically driven project that fits both the interest of the student and the needs of the assigned organization.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The practicum should help students identify the particular challenges, tasks and skills involved in the ministry of or to the laity in a congregation-based or secular context, as well as equip them to become effective resource persons to lay people fulfilling their ministry in the church and the world.

PRACTICUM FORMAT: Students will spend ten hours a week for ten weeks in one of the above settings, i.e., a local church or secular situation (a total of 100 hours). One hour each week is to be spent with the approved supervisor for evaluation, planning, theological reflection and prayer.

PREREGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: Before the student may register for this course, several steps must be completed, a process that may take up to a month since the student is responsible to make arrangements for a practicum site. The student should contact the Office of Field Education at 626-584-5387 or fe-odr@dept.fuller.edu to request the MACL Practicum materials. Then, the student must submit the Internship and Supervisor applications. After the student has submitted these applications, he or she must schedule an enrollment interview with the Office of Field Education. If the Practicum is approved, the student will then receive a Course Approval Notification that must be submitted to the Academic Advisor prior to registration.

REQUIRED READING: The student will be provided with a reading list of appropriate titles concerning lay leadership training and development. A one-page report in the form of a synopsis with theological reflective comments will be completed on each of three books.

ASSIGNMENTS:

  1. Completion of a Learning Agreement by the supervisor and the student, to be turned in to the Office of Field Education by the end of the second week of the quarter.

  2. Completion of Evaluation Reports by the supervisor and the student, to be turned in by the end of the tenth week of the quarter.

  3. Written summary of the student's experience in the practicum.

  4. Three book reviews.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets core practicum in MA in Christian Leadership requirements. This practicum is offered only for letter grade and four units credit.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.