Fall 2008/Pasadena
GM509
Martínez

GM509: LAS BASES DEL MINISTERIO [Foundations for Ministry]. Juan F. Martínez G.

DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this course is to identify and develop the central themes related to the practice of ministry and to the role of Christian spirituality in developing as a person and as a leader. Students will be exposed to various Christian spiritual traditions. The principal objective is to help the students refocus their calling and their relationship with God according to a mature perspective on ministry.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: In this class students will

  1. develop a deepened and renewed understanding of the nature of ministry to help them rediscover their personal dimension of ministry;

  2. reflect upon their own spiritual tradition and personal formation within the broader context of Christian spiritual traditions and articulate how their dialogue with other traditions has affected their own spiritual formation and development;

  3. build a new vision and motivation for ministry;

  4. participate in a formational small group that seeks to actualize in their own experience the spiritual practices or disciplines that emerge from the course as well as reflect on the content of the course;

  5. develop a deepened and renewed relationship with God as the foundation for their ministry.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students already in ministry need to take time to reflect on their call, on their self-understanding and its relationship to effective ministry, and on spiritual formation as the foundation for ministry.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet in two-hour sessions twice a week. The course will be developed through presentations by the professor and guest speakers, group activities in class, regular small group sessions, class discussions, personal interviews, and a spiritual retreat on December 5. Students in the class will take the 16PF exam, which has an additional cost of $30.00.

REQUIRED READING:
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Vida en comunidad. Ediciones Sígueme, 1985.

Segura, Harold. Más allá de la utopía liderazgo de servicio y espiritualidad cristiana. Kairós, 2005.

Course reader, including Robert Clinton, La hechura de un líder (private translation).

RECOMMENDED READING
Barbosa de Sousa, Ricardo. Por sobre todo cuida tu corazón. Kairós, 2005.

De la Cruz, San Juan. Noche oscura. Espiritualidad, 2003.

Driver, Juan. Convivencia radical espiritualidad para el siglo 21. Kairós, 2007.

Foster, Richard. Alabanza a la disciplina. Betania, 1986.

McDonald, Gordon. Ponga orden su mundo interior. Editorial Caribe, n.d.

Nouwen, Henri, J. M. The Living Reminder Service and Prayer in Memory of Jesus Christ. Harper, 1990.

ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. Regular attendance and participation in all aspects of the course (10%).

  2. Reflection paper: The Meaning of the Call to Ministry Today (2-3 pages) (10%).

  3. Reflection papers on three of the books in the bibliography (1-2 pages each) (15%).

  4. Paper: Reflection on spiritual disciplines and the life of the minister (2-3 pages) (10%).

  5. Participation in the spiritual retreat and reflection on the experience (3-5 pages) (20%).

  6. Participate in a small group and maintain a spiritual journal (35%).

PREREQUISITES: Spanish.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in General Ministry & Spirituality (MIN 1) and the Foundational Spirituality (FSP) requirement for MA degrees requiring it.

FINAL EXAMINATION: No.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/08)