Summer 2020/Fuller Online

MC525

Morey

MC525: STARTING AND MULTIPLYING NEW CHURCHES (4 Units: 161 hours). Tim Morey.

DESCRIPTION: A practical course designed to provide students with a grasp of the issues and dynamics involved in planting churches. With spiritual formation as the foundation, students will learn how to develop a strategy for starting and multiplying churches that is applicable in any context and community. This course will address current church planting models, methods, and processes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to (1) analyze and report on the context and community of their church plant, (2) design a strategy for church planting which will include contextualized evangelism and discipleship strategies, and (3) describe a plan for spiritual growth and formation both personally and for the church plant.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: Electives fulfill the MAT PLO

that states “Students will have demonstrated academic capacities appropriate to an area of focus in a theological discipline or to interdisciplinary theological study.” Addresses MAICS Area of Interest Class “Students will have demonstrated capacities to pursue vocations that engage the mission of God globally.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: 1,116 Pages Required

Branson, Mark L. Starting Missional Churches: Life with God in the Neighborhood. IVP Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830841165, Pub. Price $22.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [192 pp. assigned].

Fuder, John. Neighborhood Mapping: How to Make Your Church Invaluable to the Community.

Logan, Robert. The Church Planting Journey. Logan Leadership, 2019. ISBN: 978-1944955540, Pub. Price $17.99. Available as an e-book from Amazon [311 pp. assigned]

Morey, Tim. Embodying Our Faith: Becoming a Living, Sharing, Practicing Church. IVP Books, 2009. ISBN: 978-0830837298, Pub. Price $16.00. Available as an e-book from Amazon [197 pp. assigned].

Tang, Len, and Cotherman, Charles, ed. Sent To Flourish: A Guide To Planting and Multiplying Churches. IVP Academic, 2019. ISBN: 978-0830852680, Pub. Price $35.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [256 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Crosetto, Beau. Beyond Awkward: When Talking About Jesus is Outside Your Comfort Zone. IVP Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830836888, Pub. Price $17.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [208 pp. assigned].

Keller, Tim. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City. Zondervan, 2012. ISBN: 978-0310494188, Pub. Price $36.99. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [395 pp.].

Stetzer, Ed. Planting Missional Churches, 2nd ed. Broadman & Holman, 2016. ISBN: 978-1433692161, Pub. Price $29.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [372 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 1,116 pages of required reading. [57 hours].
  2. Participate in online class activities such as video lectures, PowerPoint presentations,etc. [20 hours].
  3. 250-word weekly forum posts (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, and #3] [10 hours].
  4. 2 50-word weekly forum responses (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, and #3] [10 hours].
  5. 1 Page (Single-spaced) plan for personal spiritual growth and formation plan, and a 1 Page (Single-spaced) spiritual growth and formation plan for the church plant (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [12 hours]
  6. A written report analyzing the context and community where the student’s church plant will take place. 3-4 Pages (Single-spaced) (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [12 hours].
  7. 5-6 Page (Single-spaced) church planting proposal outlining a feasible strategy for starting a new congregation involved in gospel demonstration, articulation, and invitation (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [20 hours].
  8. Quotations from assigned readings will be submitted throughout the course (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [20 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.