BIBL 830 The Bible and the Pastor (or Uses of Scripture in Pastoral Ministry)

Pastors must understand the context for the use of Scripture in the pastoral ministry. This will include philosophical, theological, historical, and practical considerations of Scripture in pastoral ministry. It is critical for the pastoral leader to deepen his or her understanding of the complexity of Scriptural usage in pastoral ministry and to provide clear tools for biblical application.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

(CLO: A, B, C, D)

Course Requirements Checklist

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

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must consist of a minimum of 500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 300 words in length. For any sources used, they must be cited using Turabian format. (CLO: A, B, C)

Book Analysis: Model Approach to Ministry Issues Assignment

The student is to read and analyze Ingram’s book entitled, Culture Shock, giving special attention to the key factors or elements considered by the author in addressing contemporary issues in ministry. The analysis of the text will include identification of at least three common elements utilized in the author’s approach to ministry issues with one being a biblical/theological response. In addition, students will give attention to the author’s position on the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. A 300 to 400-word analysis of each element will be developed into a written work formatted according to Turabian format. The total length for this assignment will be 900 to 1200 words. The intent of this assignment is to assist the student in developing a systematic approach to addressing ministry issues. (CLO: A, B, C)

Annotated Bibliography Assignment

This assignment is the first part of a scaffolded assignment that will culminate in the Applying to a Probable Issue Assignment later in the course. The student is to select a contemporary issue that he/she expects to be addressing in the coming weeks or months. As a first step to addressing the issue, the student will search for scholarly resources that will be helpful to developing a response to the selected issue. Ten sources must be identified, seven of which must be scholarly in nature. Three of the seven sources must be related to a biblical/theological response. Three of the sources may be from trade publications or websites. An annotation of 125 to 150 words will be developed for each source explaining how the source will contribute to the development of a response to the issue. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Model Application Outline Assignment

In this assignment, the student will utilize the model developed in a previous module within the Discussion: A Model Approach. This is the second component of the 3-part scaffolded assignment. The student will develop an outline for the Applying a Probable Issue Assignment due within a later module within the course. The outline will include three tiers and the first sentence for each section and subsection. The bibliography from the Annotated Bibliography Assignment will be included with annotations deleted. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Applying to a Probable Issue Assignment

Using the model students developed in the Discussion: A Model Approach, the bibliography developed in the Annotated Bibliography Assignment, and the outline developed in the Model Application Outline Assignment, the student will complete a written work consisting of a competent plan for addressing a contemporary ministry issue. The completed work will consist of three sections addressing specific elements of consideration necessary to develop a proper response. One section must address a biblical/theological response. The length of the assignment is to be between 2500 and 3000 words. The work must be formatted according to Turabian standards. (CLO: A, B, C, D)