Fuller Online

CF560: Winter 2010

Gorman/Ovando-Gibson

CF560: ADULT FORMATION AND DISCIPLESHIP (4 units). Julie Gorman, Professor of Christian Formation & Discipleship; online facilitation by Dr. Maria Ovando-Gibson, Adjunct Professor

DESCRIPTION:

How is the church to take seriously its task of "equipping the saints for the work of ministry" (Eph. 4:11-12)? How can adults be adequately established, rooted, built up, and equipped for the varying ministries to which God is calling them? A strong, well-developed adult ministry in the local church can be a major tool for building healthy, effective Christians and spiritually vital congregations. This course is designed to "equip the equippers" to produce such through a study of philosophy, practice, and skills in adult education. Subject areas include biblical and theological foundations for adult education; adult characteristics, needs, life cycles, and learning patterns; societal and cultural impact on learning; learning theories; gender strengths; developing or adapting curriculum; planning and implementing an adult spirituality and discipleship ministry in the church.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Cognitively: The learner will become conscious of the role of adults in God's plan, the impact of adult development, and principles for how adults learn, with implementation guidelines. Affectively: The learner will develop appreciation for adults' participation in their growth and will become enthused about cultivating such. Behaviorally: Learners will participate in discovering their own images of adulthood and will actively construct new paradigms incorporating learning experiences from class. Existentially: The learner will become a person who recognizes his/her responsibility as an adult in God's kingdom and will cultivate continued integration and implementation of concepts taught in class in the scope of his/her ministry.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:

This course helps those who minister to adults understand how adults learn, teaches skills to enable adults to move on in spiritual maturity, and equips with philosophy and means for planning and carrying out the ministry to and by adults in the church.

COURSE FORMAT:

Conducted online, the ten week lessons align with Fuller’s academic calendar. Each week, students and the instructor will interact with the material and each other through journaling, threaded discussions, web-based research, and other assignments like video viewing, surveying, gaming, and skills work. Lectures for each lesson will be available online.

REQUIRED READING:

· CF560: Adult Formation and Discipleship, Course Reader (supplied in the course).

· Hagberg, J. & R. Guelich. The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. Sheffield, 1995.

· Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church. Zondervan, 2003.

· Merriam, Sharan B. & Rosemary S. Caffarella. Learning in Adulthood. 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass, 1999.

· Parks, Sharon Daloz. Big Questions, Worthy Dreams. Jossey-Bass, 2000.

· Webber, Robert E. Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008.