Summer 2019/Fuller Online

ML524

Hankins

ML524: FOCUSED LIVES (4 Units: 160 hours). Frank D. Hankins.

DESCRIPTION: This course explores the formative dynamics of a leader’s journey toward more focused life and ministry. These dynamics flow out of being and are embedded in each leader’s story or narrative. The course builds upon J. Robert Clinton’s discoveries and insights into these dynamics. Focused life concepts will be illustrated through a comparative and narrative approach to several historical, contemporary, and biblical men and women leaders. Students will, in turn, reflect on their own personal narratives in search of ways that God has been guiding them toward a more focused life, vocation/calling, and role. Four lenses will be used to guide the reflective process: (1) development of a life purpose; (2) movement toward a more ideal role in keeping with this life purpose; (3) strategic values and effective methodologies for life purpose and role; (4) and a legacy set that results from purpose, role, and methodologies. The students’ relational network will also be considered. Students will then produce a Focused Life Portfolio of their own life both for their own continued growth and for assisting others in their development.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will have: (1) acquired strategic insights into their unique calling or vocation; (2) done several reflective exercises based on the core concepts of formative shaping incidents, narrative timeline, life purpose, ideal role, strategic values, and legacy; (3) become familiar with focused lives concepts and how to integrate them into their continued personal growth and development of those whom they influence; (4) identified focused life concepts in lives of biographical/narrative readings; and (5) generated a Focused Life Portfolio that describes their life and calling/vocation in terms of focused life concepts. The Portfolio aims to serve as major decision making tool for students’ future development and ministry. It will include paragraphs describing life purpose, foremost role, effective methodologies, and unique legacy along a Personal Timeline. Also included in the Portfolio are strategic values and a Personal Life Mandate.

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, which is outlined below in the assignment and assessment section. 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: About 1,000 pages of reading. If you have previously read any of the required texts, please select an alternative text from the recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.

  1. Clinton, J. Robert. 2005. Strategic Concepts That Clarify a Focused Life. Barnabas Publishers. ISBN: 978-0971045439, Pub. Price 15.00 [170 pp. assigned]. Not available as an e-Book from the Fuller Library. Order a PDF copy at $8.00 at http://bobbyclinton.com/books-manuals/strategic-concepts/
  2. Focused Lives Narrative Readings all available as pdf files in eReserves en Canvas: [400 pp. assigned altogether].
  1. Galli, Mark and Christian History Magazine Editorial Staff. 2000. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know. Holman Reference. ISBN: 978-0805490404, Pub. Price $12.79 [50 pp. assigned]. Available as Kindle $9.99. Not available as an e-Book from the Fuller Library.
  2. George, Bill with Peter Sims. 2015. Discover Your True North: Becoming an Authentic Leader. Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-1119082941, Pub. Price $32.00 [198 pp. assigned]. Available as an e-Book from Fuller Library. Available as Kindle $16.79.
  3. Smith, Gordon T. 2011. Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential. Intervarsity Press. ISBN: 978-0830835546, Pub. Price $18.00 [166 pp. assigned]. Available as an e-Book from Fuller Library. Available as Kindle $10.20.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Allender, Dan B. 2005. To Be Told: God Invites You to Coauthor Your Future. Waterbrook Press. ISBN: 978-1578569519, Pub. Price $14.99. Available as Kindle.

Clinton, Richard and Paul Leavenworth. 2013. Living and Leading Well: Navigating Mid-Life Ministry. (Well Trilogy). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN: 978-1481230636, Pub. Price $15.00. Kindle Edition available.

___________________________________. 2013. Finishing Well: Establishing a Lasting Legacy. (Well Trilogy). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN: 978-1479372119, Pub. Price $15.00 Kindle edition available.

Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Word Publishing, 1998. ISBN: 978-0849944376, Pub. Price $17.99. Kindle edition available.

Mahan, Brian J. 2010. Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose: Vocation and the Ethics of Ambition. Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0470621684, Pub. Price $21.00.

McKeown, Greg. 2013. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. Virgin Books. Kindle edition available.

McNeal, Reggie. 2006. Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders. Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0787977535, Pub. Price $24.95. Kindle edition available.

Moore, Steve. 2004. The Dream Cycle: Leveraging the Power of Personal Growth. Wesleyan Publishing House. ISBN: 978-0898272772. Pub. Price $6.00. Kindle edition available.

Palmer, Parker. 1999. Let Your Life Speak: Listening to the Voice of Vocation. Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0787947354, Pub. Price $11.06. Kindle edition available.

Peterson, Eugene. 1994. Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness. IVP. ISBN: 978-0802808486, Pub. Price $18.63. Available as Kindle.

Placher, William C. 2005. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN: 978-0802829276, Pub. Price $25.88. Kindle edition available.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Weekly lessons and video lectures [15 hours].
  2. 1,000 pages of required reading [57 hours]. [This assignment is related to all learning outcomes].
  3. Weekly 500-word forums (26.67%) [20 hours]: 250-word weekly posts [10 hours] and 250-word weekly replies [10 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 3].
  4. Varied book responses (23.33%) [13 hours]: two 500-word written book reflections (10%) [6 hours]; (2) two 500-word book interactive forums (two 250-word posts and two 250-word replies) (10%) [6 hours]; and 250-word personal journal (3.33%) [1 hour]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 3].
  5. 1,000-word summarization of crucial course concepts in the lives of five key figures from 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (3.33%) [5 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4].
  6. Focused Life Portfolio (reflective paper) of approximately 10,000 words on the student's own life using focused lives concepts to be completed by finals week (46.67%). Students will do drafts of different components of the Portfolio during the ten weeks of class, receive feedback from the professor on each draft, in order to hone and improve their work. The final Portfolio is to be turned in at the end of Finals Week or week 11. [50 hours]. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #5].

PREREQUISITES: There is no prerequisite course though certain parts of this course build upon ML530 Lifelong Development (a course in the MAGL course sequence).

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.