Spring 2005/Southern California
Three weekend intensive
DP500
Kors

DP500: REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA POLITY. Cornelis Kors.


DESCRIPTION:

The course is designed to give students preparing for ordination in the Reformed Church in America a knowledge of the polity and governmental practices of the RCA; an understanding of leadership in the reformed tradition; and skills in church administration. The course will prepare students for leadership in the local congregation and provide the information to successfully complete the classis examination in governance and The Book of Church Order.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
All ministers in the Reformed Church in America are expected to have a working knowledge of the governance of the denomination in order to administer effectively in the local church and within the structures of the RCA.

COURSE FORMAT:
The course will meet at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove (Robert Schuller Center, Room 400) on three weekends (April 15-16, 29-30, and May 20-21) with sessions on Friday evenings and all day Saturday. The course will include lectures, case studies and discussion. A number of hours will also be added by web-enhancement through our Cyber Learning Labs course management software. As appropriate, denominational executives will be invited to participate in the class. Major denominational issues, as presented in The Church Herald and The Minutes of the General Synod will be dealt with.

REQUIRED READING:
The Book of Church Order. Reformed Church in America, latest edition.

Crumroy, Otto; Stan Kukawka, and Frank Witman. Church Administration and Finance Manual: Resources for Leading the Local Church. Morehouse, 1998.

DePree, Max. Called to Serve. Eerdmans, 2001.

Janssen, Allan J. Constitutional Theology. Eerdmans, 2000.

Meeter, Daniel. Meeting Each Other. Eerdmans, 1993.

Robert's Rules of Order. Current edition.

Tidwell, Charles A. Church Administration: Effective Leadership for Ministry. Broadman & Holman, 1985.

ASSIGNMENTS:
Regular reading assignments in The Book of Church Order, Minutes of the General Synod, and related materials, with book reports (20% of final grade). Case studies will be utilized for written responses and class discussion (40%), a Church Administration Project (20%) will be due at the end of the quarter, and there will be a take-home written final examination (20%).

PREREQUISITES:
None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
Meets the MDiv core requirement in Pastoral Ministry and Theology (MIN 6). RCA Certificate of Fitness requirement.

FINAL EXAMINATION:
Take-home written examination.