DESCRIPTION: This course looks at contemporary culture from a missiological perspective, and covers issues of modernity, post-modernity, pluralism, secularism, globalization and the challenges and opportunities that each bring to Church worldwide, necessitating thoughtful, culturally relevant yet biblically sound responses. This course proposes the paradigm that missionary engagement should be the basic stance of the Church toward its cultural context, wherever the Church is located.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have

• demonstrated the ability to "read or "exegete" modern/postmodern culture using missionary criteria;

• discerned those values and characteristics in their cultural contexts that can be affirmed, promoted, and leveraged for the benefit of God's kingdom as well as the cultural values and forces that bring spiritual lethargy and decline;

• designed strategies of missional engagement with contemporary culture that show cultural awareness and understanding, and in which the full resources of the Gospel are brought to bear in their ministries and churches;

• explored the challenges and opportunities of globalization and its impact on the communication of the Gospel locally and internationally.

Crouch, Andy. Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0830833948. Pub. List: $20.00.

Frost, Michael. The Road to Missional: Journey to the Center of the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011. ISBN: 0801014077. Pub. List: $15.

Kling, Fritz. The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global Trends that Will Propel the Future Church. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010. ISBN: 1434764842. List price: $10.

Sutter, Arloa. The Invisible: What the Church Can Do to Find and Serve the Least of These. Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing, 2010. ISBN: 0898274567. Pub. List: $12.

Volf, Miroslav. A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1587432989. List price $21.

Supplemental required readings, which will be included in the course shell (150 pp. assigned).

1. Weekly threaded discussions and reading interactions (35%)

2. A 1,500-word Cultural Analysis through Film comparing and contrasting two films and their post-modern cultural themes (15%)

3. A 2,000-word Culture Watch assignment researching popular opinions about or approaches to a particular cultural problem or challenge--in preparation for Final Case Study Paper (15%)

4. A 3,500 -word Case Study Paper addressing a selected contemporary cultural problem or challenge and its practical outworking in a student's ministry context (35%)