Fuller Online

ML537: Fall 2009

Lingenfelter/Weaver

 

ML537: LEADERS AND CHURCH IN CULTURE (4 units)

Sherwood Lingenfelter, Professor of Anthropology;

Online facilitation by Alan Weaver, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Cross-Cultural Leadership.

 

DESCRIPTION:

The objective of this course is to enable students to describe and understand the social context of any church, and to grasp how it imposes powerful limitations on leaders and leadership. The course examines four prototype social games that define the cultural parameters of the organization and life of the church. Focusing on the social context of community life and leadership, the lectures and class discussions draw both on contemporary case studies and texts in the Old Testament to illuminate the diversity of social environments and how leadership is a function of social context.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:  Students should achieve the following learning outcomes upon completion of the course:

á          Master the theory of social games applied to leadership and the cultural expressions of the church.

á          Develop skill in using questionnaires and interviews to gather data.

á          Develop skill in data analysis using the theory of social games.

á          Analyze the social context of a local church and draw applications for leadership.

á          Critically evaluate the discontinuities between the social and cultural expectations for leadership and the metaphors for ministry leadership developed in scripture.

á          Create a plan for leadership that incorporates a dynamic tension between the social game of the church and biblical metaphors of ministry.

 

COURSE FORMAT:

The class will be conducted on the Internet using a 10-week lesson program aligned with FullerŐs academic calendar. Each week students and the instructor will interact with the material examining key themes and characteristics of leadership in the studentŐs church and cultural settings through journaling, threaded discussions, and web-based and field research. Students should expect to read assignments and do ethnographic research in their ministry context.

 

REQUIRED READING:

á          Bennett, David W. Metaphors of Ministry: Biblical Images for Leaders and Followers. Eugene, OR: WIPF & Stock Publishers, 2004

á          Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Leading Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2008

á          Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Transforming Culture. Second edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998

á          Thompson, Michael, Richard Ellis, and Aaron Wildavsky. Cultural Theory. Westview Press, 1990.

á          Collected Case Studies of Mission and Church Organizations (unpublished research reports)

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

á          Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Agents of Transformation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1996.

á          Wildavsky, Aaron. The Nursing Father: Moses as Political Leader. Alabama Press, 1984

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.        Weekly Threaded Discussions, Journaling, and Web research (17%)

2.        Written reflection exercises on the readings and the class discussions each week (17%)

3.        Five weekly reports on the studentŐs research that will be shared with peers and discussed (17%).

4.        Students will conduct research, observing and interviewing leaders and followers in a local church or mission organization in their context.  From this data a major field research paper of 30-40 pages will be required as the final project for the course (49%).

 

PREREQUISITES:  None.

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:  Elective: A Ministry Focus Elective in the MA in Global Leadership Program. 

 

FINAL EXAMINATION:  None.    

 

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification.

Updated September 2009.