Winter 2012/Pasadena
CF560
Gorman

CF560: ADULT FORMATION AND DISCIPLESHIP. Julie Gorman.


DESCRIPTION: The future belongs to adults! We pass on who we are to the next generation. How is the current decline in Western Christianity a wakeup call for Adult Discipleship? What is our response to "Jesus, yes. Church, no?" What does it mean to be adult and Christian in today's world? How does our theological thinking energize our response to culture and determine the way we are prepared to deal with the world of un-Christians? What issues and questions are present in being adult while living in continuous change? How do today's adults learn? Why is aging God's intentional plan? This class looks at the role adults play and ways to cultivate adult faith and to equip adults in the discipleship process. It includes our changing world, the emerging church, adults and the arts, kingdom-focused spirituality, and encourages a corporate discipleship focus for survival.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: With few exceptions everyone experiences adulthood. This course speaks to how adults can mature and learn and what to expect in working and communicating with adults, teaching purposes and skills that enable adults to become disciples of Jesus and thereby to fulfill their calling and carry out their mission in church and world.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Cognitively: Learners will become conscious of the role of adults in God's plan, the impact of their development, and what enables adults to grow in faith while demonstrating it through discipleship. Affectively: Learners will learn to value how God designed adults to actively participate in their own growth and will be motivated to help them discern and design transforming experiences. Behaviorally: Learners will participate in discovering their own images of adulthood and learning styles and will be involved in actively creatively new paradigms of discipling and maturing which incorporate learning experiences from class. Existentially: Learners will become persons who recognize his/her mission as a Christian adult in God's kingdom and will cultivate continued integration of concepts taught in class in his/her life and ministry in church and world.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet twice a week for two-hour sessions. Methods of instruction will include lecture, interaction, small groups, video viewing, surveying, gaming, and skills work in class.

REQUIRED READING:

Gorman, Julie. Expanded Course Syllabus including selected online chapters from various books that address the topics of the course. Fuller Seminary, 2012.

Hagberg, J., and R. Guelich. The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. Sheffield, 2004. ISBN: 978-1879215498. Pub.price: $23.95.

Kinnaman , David. You Lost Me. Baker Books, 2010. ISBN:978-0801013140. Pub. Price: $17.99.

Lyons, Gabe. The Next Christians. Doubleday, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-385-52984-6. Pub. Price: $19.99.

Ogden, Greg. Transforming Discipleship. InterVarsity Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780830823888. Pub.price: $15.00.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Belenky, Mary Field, et al. Women's Ways of Knowing. Basic Books, 1997. ISBN: 9780465090990. Pub.price: $19.00.

Flory, Richard, and Donald Miller. Finding Faith. Rutgers University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-081354237. $22.95.

Hanson, Amy. Baby Boomers and Beyond. Jossey-Bass, 2010. ISBN: 9780470500798. Pub.price: $24.95.

Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church. Zondervan, 2003. ISBN: 9780310245643. Pub.price: $16.99.

Loder, James E. The Logic of the Spirit. Jossey-Bass, 1998. ISBN: 9780787909192. Pub.price: $39.95.

Merriam, Sharan B., and Rosemary S. Caffarella. Learning in Adulthood. 3rd ed. Jossey-Bass, 2006. ISBN: 9780787975883. Pub.price: $60.00.

Parks, Sharon Daloz. Big Questions, Worthy Dreams. Jossey-Bass, 2000. ISBN: 9780787941710. Pub.price: $27.95.

Smith, Christian, with Patricia Snell. Souls in Transition, 2009. Oxford University Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780195371796. Pub.price: $24.95.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: (1) Insights into one's own adult development. (2) Response to current culture of adulthood and results in churches. (3) Personal reflection on one's own Christian formation and discipleship journey. (4) Group classroom demonstration of an adult learning theory. (5) Creation of a personal and ministry response to adult faith and learning concepts.

PREREQUISITES: None. No audits.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Christian Formation and Discipleship (MIN 4).

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (October 2011)