Spring 2006/Pasadena
CF507
Gorman

CF507: BUILDING CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH SMALL GROUPS. Julie Gorman.


DESCRIPTION: What is the alternative to the impersonal, success-oriented, edifice-centered, and clergy-dominated model of Christian community that pervades the church today? For increasing numbers of persons, the answer lies in the small group. In a world where "natural networks" of community like marriage, family, and the neighborhood are experiencing crisis and dissolution, the need is great for the New Testament reality of Christian koinonia. This course focuses on the birth, care, and feeding of Christian small groups particularly as they can function in the life of a local congregation. A variety of types of groups will be studied, including neighborhood Bible studies, personal support and sharing groups, spiritual direction groups, task/action groups including committees, and accountability groups. Philosophies of small group ministry will be explored, along with strategies for beginning groups and maintaining them in a church, training leaders, and dynamics of small group interaction. A review of resources for group leaders and members is included. Participants will also become aware of their own leadership and participative styles in groups with individualized help in improving those styles. This is a course in skill and insight transformation.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Learners will know the biblical imperative for relational community and be aware of what conditions foster the development of such. They will be strongly committed to nurturing these conditions for community-building in committees, groups, and the gatherings of Christians, prizing their heritage as members of the Body of Christ and valuing others who share that connection. Learners will actively live out the concept and principles of relational community as a missional purpose for the church in today's world. Existentially, learners will become persons who recognize, rejoice in, and foster relational community as foundational to ministry in the name of Jesus.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The experiencing of relational community is at the heart of the church. Being "in Christ" means becoming a part of his family. Learning how to get along in that family and how to enrich and empower others because of who we are as the reflection of Christ is inherent in being the church. Such relational connection is attractive to persons in today's world who want to experience belonging before believing. Ministry involves enabling persons to connect with each other and with Christ as the setting for showing not-yet-believers what it means to be kingdom people and to know the King is present wherever two or three are gathered in the name of Christ.

COURSE FORMAT: Class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions with lectures, discussion, and small group involvement in class. Small group involvement requires some additional time commitment.

REQUIRED READING:

Crabb, Larry. The Safest Place on Earth. Word, 1999. (Available in CFD office.)

Cladis, George. Leading the Team-Based Church. Jossey-Bass, 1999.

Frazee, Randy. The Connecting Church. Zondervan, 2001.

Gorman, Julie. Community That Is Christian. 2nd ed. Baker, 2002.

Long, Jimmy. Emerging Hope. 2nd ed. InterVarsity Press 2004

Myers, Joseph R. the Search to Belong. Zondervan, 2003.

Course Reader.

ASSIGNMENTS: Assignments will provide class members with the following tools and experiences: development of a theology of Christian community; preparation of a seminar to train small group leaders; actual experience in leading and evaluating self and others in putting into practice principles in a small group setting; research and presentation of a particular type of group to the class. Additional reading will be assigned from the class reading list.

PREREQUISITES: None. No audits.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Christian Formation and Discipleship (MIN 4).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.