DESCRIPTION: St. Patrick's life, work, and ministry changed Ireland more than any single person in history. Never straying far from his humble roots as a slave in his beloved country, he was able to integrate his insightful pragmatism, strategic thinking, relational savvy, and authentic love for people to bring about lasting transformation in the name of Jesus Christ. In this course, we will examine the key aspects of Patrick's life, faith, and ministry, and, using this as a lens, we will explore how the life of St. Patrick of Ireland can teach us what evangelism in our culture and context can be.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: All Christian ministry should incorporate sharing the good news of Christ and encouraging people to commit to following him, whether through direct evangelistic programs, worship services, training, encouragement and accountability, or representing the love of Christ through our lives and communities. Awareness of contemporary culture and attention to understanding culture is important both for evangelistic purposes and for Christian discipleship, as we reflect on how to minister to others and live ourselves as followers of Christ in our cultures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) an understanding of the biblical meaning of evangelism and conversion, the development of evangelism in church history and today, and various theological perspectives on evangelism and conversion (2) an understanding of different aspects of evangelism and of different paradigms, methods, and strategies; discussion of application, (3) increased ability to analyze cultural, local, and church or ministry contexts to determine and implement potential outreach activities, strategies, and motivation, (4) an understanding of contemporary culture and its impact on evangelism in culture, church, ministry, and personal relationships today; (5) an increased passion for evangelism and confidence in personal ability to share about faith in Jesus.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet daily for 10 days in Ireland, for lecture, reading discussion, and visits to museums, churches, and historic sites. Following the onsite portion, the course will conclude with a five-week online component that will lead students into the exploration of additional reading and viewing materials, threaded online discussions, written assignments, and preparation for a final written or artistic project.

REQUIRED READING:

Either

Bury, J. B. St. Patrick: The Life and World of Ireland's Saint. Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2010. ISBN: 978-1848851870, $20.00. Or

Freeman, Philip. St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography. Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 978-0743256346, $13.00.

Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church. Hodder & Stoughton, 1970. ISBN: 0802827683, $28.

Hunter, George G., III. The Celtic Way of Evangelism. 10th anniversary edition. Abingdon, 2010. ISBN: 978-1426711374. $17.00. To be read prior to class meeting June 20.

Rah, Soong-Chan. The Next Evangelism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity. InterVarsity Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0830833603, $15.

Reese, Martha Grace. Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism. 2nd ed. Martha Grace Reese, 2008. ISBN: 978-0827238084, $20.99.

Webber, Robert E. Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community. Baker Books, 2003. ISBN: 0801091608, $14.99.

1. Submit for each required book a 2-page response and at least 2 pages of quotes (2, 3, 4) - 20% of grade.

2. There is a content exam on the lectures and readings (1, 2, 3, 4) - 40% of grade.

3. Complete a final project which reflects the course content (1, 2, 3, 4) - 40% of grade.