Summer 2017 / Online

PM514

Smith

PM514: MISSIONAL CHURCH 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.

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: 1036 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 $27.00 [233 pp. assigned].

Roxburgh, Alan. Joining God, Remaking Church, Changing the World. Morehouse, 2015. ISBN: 978-0819232113. Pub. Price $16.00. [127 pp. assigned]

Sedmak, Clemens. Doing Local Theology. Orbis Books, 2002. ISBN: 978-1570754524, Pub. Price $26.00 [161 pp. assigned].

Smith, C. Christopher and John Pattison. Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus. InterVarsity, 2014. ISBN-13: 978-0830841141, Pub. Price $17.00. [215 pp.]

Van Gelder, Craig. Ministry of the Missional Church. Baker, 2007. ISBN: 978-0801091391, Pub. Price $19.00. [170 pp.]

Leadership Articles/Chapters on Moodle.

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.].

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

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

Cormode, Scott, “Multi-Layered Leadership,” Journal of Religious Leadership, 2002 [35 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1036 pages of required reading (10%). [70 hours].

2. Online instruction including video lectures, peer and professor presentations, Blue Jeans online classroom discussions, etc; maintain weekly course checklists. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3, 4]. [25 hours].

3. Web interaction weekly (DLAs): interactive reflective activities including videos, spiritual disciplines such as group lectio divina, and forum posts, [often a 250-word post and follow-up 250-word forum response] (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [25 hours].
4. Write a 500-600 word Adler-style book critique on Roxburgh and on Smith/Pattison (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2]. [5 hours].
5. 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].
6. Practical Theology Case Study online presentation, per syllabus (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3]. [10 hours].
7. 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 (20%). [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. Meets 144 MDiv core requirement MIN6 or the requirement in Ministry Foundations (MIN F) for other master’s degrees.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.