Miracles, the Resurrection, and Christian Ministry – APOL 810

Course Description

This course examines the apologetic value of the miraculous, giving special emphasis to the resurrection of Jesus, as it bears on a Christian theology and the life and mission of the Church. (Available to DMIN students only).

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands at the heart and center of the Christian proclamation of the gospel and is thus organically connected to various Christian doctrines and life practices. Given the prominent place of the resurrection in the Christian world-and-life-view, it is all the more imperative that those seeking to carry out the Church’s mission engage various contemporary challenges and objections to the miraculous, while also seeking to integrate the resurrection into their daily lives and practice.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be 800-1000 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student must reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 300-400 words. 

Critical Reading Journal Analysis Assignments (8)

The student will provide a weekly journal entry critically engaging the course reading for the week. Each journal entry will answer specific questions provided by the prompt. Each journal entry will be between 500–800 words. 

Sermon Series Overview and Outline Assignment

The student will prepare a teaching/sermon series consisting of 5 sermons/lessons that cover central issues related to miracles and the resurrection. The assignment must include a 250–500 word introduction summarizing the implementation of the series into a local church, as well as a Scope and Sequence chart to outline the series schedule, provide titles of each lesson/sermon, and offer key passages for each. The student will also provide a 1-page sermon/lesson plan for each sermon/lesson included in the series. 

Resurrection, Theology, and Practice Paper Assignment

The student will write a 3,000–3,750 word research-based paper in Turabian format that places emphasis on the integration of the resurrection with a specific area of Christian theology/doctrine or practice. Students will be provided a list of specific areas of focus. The paper must include at least 10 scholarly references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. 

Discussion: Resurrection, Theology and Practice Presentation

Using Kaltura or another approved video capture software, students will prepare a 5–8 minute presentation that summarizes the finding of their Resurrection, Theology, and Practice Paper from the previous module/week. The presentation can be either a video or screen capture presentation and will be submitted in a discussion board forum. In addition to the presentation, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 200–300 words.