Summer 2020/ Fuller Online

PM514

Smith

PM514: MISSIONAL CHURCHES AND LEADERSHIP (4 Units: 160 Hours). Joshua R. Smith.

DESCRIPTION: This is a practical theology course that engages biblical, theological, and practical matters in ecclesiology and leadership. The work of lay and clergy leadership is explored in regard to fostering an environment in which all participants are to be formed into an interpretive community that is engaged with God personally and corporately in congregation formation, spiritual formation, and missional formation. Working from a praxis-theory-praxis perspective, the course will attend to topics as they are integrated in a practical theology methodology with an emphasis on missio Dei.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) articulate an understanding of missional ecclesiology for the student’s anticipated ministry context; (2) articulate an understanding of the tasks of congregational leadership; (3) apply course frameworks for ecclesiology, contexts, and leadership to exercises regarding specific cases; and (4) articulate reflectively concerning one’s own gifts and calling in relationship to course frameworks for ecclesiology, contexts, and leadership.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will teach students concepts and skills for Christian formation and discipleship, which is consistent with the SOT/SIS PLOs that state that, “Students will have demonstrated capacities to cultivate a theologically reflective practice of Christian discipleship.” (MDiv, MAT, MATM, MAICS), “Students will have demonstrated capacities to engage diverse cultural contexts for transformational discipleship, mission, and ministry,” and “Students will have demonstrated capacities for being theologically reflective practitioners for Christian ministry.”

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: 1134 pp. required.

Branson, Mark Lau, and Juan F. Martinez. Churches, Cultures and Leadership: A Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities. IVP Academic, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839261, Pub. Price $30.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [233 pp. assigned].

Branson, Mark Lau, and Nicholas Warnes. Starting Missional Churches: Life with God in the Neighborhood. InterVarsity, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830841165, Pub. Price $22.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [185 pp. assigned].

Roxburgh, Alan. Joining God, Remaking Church, Changing the World. Morehouse, 2015. ISBN: 978-0819232113, Pub. Price $16.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [127 pp. assigned]

Van Gelder, Craig. The Ministry of the Missional Church. Baker, 2007. ISBN: 978-0801091391, Pub. Price $21.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [170 pp.]

Wimberly, Edward P. Recalling Our Own Stories: Spiritual Renewal for Religious Caregivers. Fortress Press, 2019. ISBN: 978-1506454771, Pub. Price $16.99. [226 pp.]

Leadership Articles/Chapters on Canvas.

Argyris, C., “Teaching Smart People How to Learn” Harvard Business Review, 1991 [16 pp.].

Ely, R. and Meyerson, D., “Theories of Gender in Organizations,” Working Paper #8, Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons College, 2000. (www.simmons.edu/som/docs/cgo_wp8_DNC.pdf) [46 pp.].

Fluker, Walter Earl, “Introduction”, “Howard Thurman and Martin Luther King Jr.: Critical Resources in the Development of Ethical Leadership”, & “What is Ethical Leadership?” in Ethical Leadership: The Quest for Character, Civility, and Community. Fortress Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0800663490, Pub. Price $25.00 [56 pp.].

Heifetz, Ronald, “The Work of Leadership” HBR, 2001 [16 pp.].

Senge, Peter, “The Leader’s New Work,” Sloan Management Review, 1990 [17 pp.].

Sedmak, Clemens. Doing Local Theology. Orbis, 2003. ISBN: 978-1570754524, Pub. Price

$26.00; pp. 1-42.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1134 pp. of required reading (10%). [63 hours].
2. Online instruction including video lectures, peer and professor presentations, etc; maintain weekly course checklists. (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3, 4]. [20 hours].
3. Online small group discussions: Each week you are required to meet via video with an assigned small group for theological reflection and dialogue. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3, 4]. [7 hours].
4. Web interaction weekly (DLAs): interactive reflective activities including videos, spiritual disciplines such as group lectio divina, google docs, and Discussion posts [often a 250-word post and follow-up250-word forum response] (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [30 hours].
5. Write a 500-600 word Adler-style book critique on Roxburgh and on Branson/Warnes (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2]. [5 hours].
6. Reflective essay (750 words) on your leadership capacities in light of class, midway through class (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 4]. [5 hours].
7. Practical Theology Case Study & Online Presentation, per syllabus (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3]. [10 hours].
8. Write a 2,000 word term paper, per syllabus, that integrates issues of ecclesiology, missiology, context, and leader­ship, demonstrating a practical theology method; includes the student’s reflection on progress concerning course goals (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3, 4]. [20 hours].

PREREQUISITES: It is recommended that students take PM514 during or after Field Ed, or toward the end of a masters program. It is also highly recommended that students have completed IS500, IS501, IS502, and IS503.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the LDR requirement for the 120 MDiv Program and 80 MATM Programs (Fall 2015). Meets 144 MDiv core requirement MIN6 or the requirement in Ministry Foundations (MIN F) for other master’s degrees.

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.