Contemporary Issues of the City – CHMN 851
CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
This course is a doctoral level study, about several contemporary issues encountered by the populations in cities and urban metropolises in North America, from a Biblical Worldview perspective. These issues are same sex marriage, racial injustice and the black experience, and poverty. Thus, students will analyze biblical principles and some historical events, to create urban ministries practical methods, with the purpose of reaching the populations in urban metropolises with the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
Cities and urban metropolises are influenced by the cultural transitions in a world that has become post Christian, postmodern and diverse. Thus the importance for urban ministries’ leaders to consider a different approach that needs to operate more as the early Church. This requires a missionary work with a renewed emphasis on the message and mission of Jesus. Thus, this course academic journey provides the content to study and acquire the knowledge in helping Christian leaders and ministers, in the work to evangelize and disciple cities and urban metropolises’ populations, facing contemporary issues with the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and 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)
The student will post one thread of at least 300 words for each of the following topics.
- This post will be based on information found in pages 15 - 23 from the Urban Ministry book by Conn, from which you will identify and explain what you learned from Lima, Peru, to use in making effective disciples in cities and urban metropolises ministries.
- This post will be based on information found in pages 325 - 330 from the Urban Ministry book by Conn, from which you will identify and explain what you learned about the subject of poverty, for ministries in cities and urban metropolises.
You also are required to post two replies of at least 200 words. For each thread, you are required to support assertions with at least 3 scholarly citations and 3 Bible references in Turabian format. Each reply is required to incorporate at least 2 scholarly citations in Turabian format. Any sources cited are required to be published within the last five years. Acceptable sources are scholastic journals, academic and course textbooks (CLOs: A, B, C)
Book Interaction Assignments (3)
The student will write a book interaction, not a researched oriented paper, based on the readings for each of the following textbooks:
- Washed and Waiting
- Urban Ministry
- When Helping Hurts.
This work should reflect your personal wrestling with the material. The introduction of the interaction should be done prior to reading the book, in which the student- in relation to the topic of the book- answers the questions, “What is my current experience with this topic? How do I need to develop in this area?”(CLOs A, B, C)
Ministry Leader Interview Assignment
The student will conduct an interview with an active ministry leader addressing the following:
- You will spend time interviewing a current ministry leader/practitioner concerning each of the following areas:
- Racism
- Poverty
- Same Sex Attraction
- The interview should cover these basic questions:
- What is your name?
- What is your current role?
- Between the three issues of Racism, Poverty and Same Sex Attraction and the church, which one of these are your most passionate about and why are you passionate about this specific area of ministry?
- Why do you believe the church should be engaged in this type of ministry?
- What are the biggest challenges you face to doing ministry in the remaining two areas of ministry that you are least passionate about is applicable? (Racism, Poverty or Same Sex Attraction).
- What have been at least three of the most effective best practices for engaging in either of these above communities well?
- What passages of Scripture have really shaped you in doing the kind of ministry you are currently engaged in concerning Racism, Poverty or Same Sex Attraction? (CLOs: D, E, F)
Leadership Development Plan Assignments
The student will create the following items:
- 13 Month Calendar: Outline of activities chart, following the example in the instructions, to schedule leadership development program activities for the year. This plan includes books, staff sessions, evangelism / apologetics events, other related Church experiences, and others as you deem necessary. Current Turabian format must be used.
- Training: Create twelve (12) lesson outlines addressing the contemporary in this course, same sex attraction, racism and the black experience, and poverty. Follow the lesson outline sample in the instructions to complete the content for each lesson, and use these lessons to teach your ministry staff the content for their use in the ministry work in cities and urban metropolises. Current Turabian format must be used.
- Practical Implications: Choose two (2) Evangelism/Apologetics Events, and three (3) Church Practical Experiences addressing the contemporary issues of same sex attraction, racism and poverty, for your ministry leaders to experience. This assignment must be 7–10 pages in current Turabian format. (CLOs: D, E, F)
