500

Today's Christian leaders are increasingly called upon to understand and to negotiate diverse global contexts competently with cultural intelligence. Whether we are leaders in congregations, mission organizations, businesses, or on college campuses, our ability to navigate intercultural dynamics in relationships with humility and competence is mission critical for present day faith leaders. This course will offer a deeper understanding of how our own sociocultural frameworks and identities impact our ministry contexts (i.e. organizational dynamics, leadership development, decision making, power, and conflict management). Students will participate and reflect on a contextual exegesis experience from a theological and missiological perspective. This course will help students diagnose and explore possibilities for leveraging cultural diversity in their own organizational or church contexts to create conditions for the Gospel to be shared holistically and faithfully from all peoples to all peoples.

In this course, students will learn basic theories and methods for examining cultures by employing investigative principles from anthropology and sociology to gain insights for ministry in diverse cultural settings. The course aims to equip students to critically analyze the socio-cultural contexts of their ministry setting. Students will acquire context-oriented understandings and skills that will inform their ministry strategies and practices. This course further explores the student's cultural perceptions of self and others. Insights gained from the study of cultures, anthropological and sociological theories and methods will enable students to evaluate and propose solutions to practical mission and ministry problems.

This course explores the various facets of cross-cultural ministry. It is designed to expose students to cultures which are different from their own with a view to understanding those cultures and also better understanding their own home culture. Whether by intensive study or direct exposure to another culture, this course equips students to minister more effectively in diverse cultural settings. (Practical)

This course is designed to develop the core competencies essential to effectively starting a new church. Through the use of application-based learning modules, students will develop a contextualized strategy for reaching a specific community through church planting efforts. Theoretical and practical facets of church planting will be explored and analyzed as students focus on customizing strategies for their unique ministry context. In addition to the learning modules, students will be partnered with a personal coach and supervisor, committed to guiding the student through the early stages of their church planting process.

This course introduces the student to the fundamental nature of the gospel, as well as to the fundamental dynamics of proclaiming it in multiple contexts. Accordingly, it analyzes the dynamics of culture and in that light strategizes about how best to present the gospel in local, cross-cultural, and global contexts.

This course will provide principles and practices of leading and empowering multiplication movements. Church planting, multi-site, and new venue opportunities will be explored, including visits to multiple church sites within differing communities and congregations, with differing leadership approaches. Theoretical and practical facets of church multiplication will be analyzed as the student focuses on what is working, as well as customizing strategies for their unique ministry context. Emphasis will be given as to how churches of a variety of sizes can participate in multiplication.

This course focuses on the core of an effective leader's calling, character, and competency within a multiplication context. Emphasis will be given to the leader's development in the areas of spiritual formation, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and relational aptitude.

This course is designed to provide principles and practices for the pre-launch and launch processes of a church plant, site, or venue. Emphasis will be given to discerning the new church, site, or venue model and strategy, developing a philosophy of ministry, exegeting a cultural context, connecting with the community, recruiting a core team, designing the worship gatherings, and creating an efficient leadership structure. This course will provide students with a culturally adaptable framework for the development of a new initiative.

This course addresses the challenges of the post-launch process in years two to ten, including personal health, soul care, leadership development, evangelism fervor, discipleship formation, financial management, spiritual warfare, and organizational management. The course utilizes learning experiences of successful multiplication movements in their post-launch years.

This course examines models of the mission of the church, paying special attention to recent missional movements and models of evangelism, and their characteristics, theological commitments, and perceived trajectory/impact. Students will evaluate church health in relation to the mission and witness of the church and will develop skills and dispositions necessary for leading a healthy church. This course is only offered as part of the residential accelerated program. Prerequisite: WSEM-550 or WSEM-551.

This course examines models of the mission of the church, paying special attention to recent missional movements and models of evangelism, and their characteristics, theological commitments, and perceived trajectory/impact. Students will evaluate church health in relation to the mission and witness of the church and will develop skills and dispositions necessary for leading a healthy church. This course is only offered as part of the residential accelerated program. Prerequisite: WSEM-550 or WSEM-551.