CLED 725 Faith-Based Consulting

Christian, faith-based organizations are distinct in that they seek to intentionally operate based upon a defined set of theological beliefs, values, and virtues rooted in biblical Christianity. Those who consult with faith-based organizations must be able to understand and apply management and leadership principles and practices with a clear awareness of the relationship between biblical faith and the practices of managing and leading. Consultants must be skilled in helping faith-based organizational leaders clarify, assess, and apply best practices with intentionality to their context while remaining aligned with the beliefs, values, and virtues that are at the core of their organization.

Textbook and other assigned readings and lecture presentations

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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 will engage in 2 collaborative Discussions through the course. The student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be 400 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 200 words. Specific discussion prompts are provided in the course site. (CLO: A, B, C)

Outline for Theological Foundations of Consulting White Paper Assignment

This assignment is intended as a step in the development of the Theological Foundations of Consulting White Paper by reviewing theological literature and building an outline that will help in writing the paper that is due later in the course. This will provide the student with a point of clarification and organization and an opportunity to receive instructor feedback in the process of preparing to write the paper. The outline should be a minimum of one page in APA format, cover at least 3 theological concepts, and include 2-3 sources for each topic and sub-topic in the outline. Specific assignment instructions are provided in the course site. (CLO: A, B, C)

Theological Foundations of Consulting White Paper Assignment

This assignment is intended to help build a clear understanding of the theological foundations of faith-based Christian consulting work. It is termed “White Paper” to indicate the need to present a clear argument and perspective in the paper that is grounded in strong academic biblical and theological literature. This paper will cover at least 3 theological concepts, and each concept must be support by at least 3 quality sources for a total of 9 sources at minimum. In addition, the paper should be 4-6 pages and use APA format. Specific assignment instructions are provided in the course site. (CLO: A, B, C)

Values, Mission, and Vision Proposal Assignment

This assignment is intended to allow the student to consider the major building blocks of any organization (values, mission, and vision) by articulating a proposed step-by-step process (with rationale) to create or revise each of the elements in view of the organization’s espoused purpose. This assignment requires the student to formulate a proposal document indicating how he/she would approach the creation or revision of these elements for a specific organization. The student is the consultant presenting this proposal to the client organization as a means to articulate this part of his/her services. A minimum of 5 sources must be cited in the proposal. Specific assignment instructions are provided in the course site. (CLO: C)

Consultant Case Study Assignment

This is intended as a capstone assignment, synthesizing the content from the course into a case study. In the assignment, the student will choose a Christian faith-based organization with a specific challenge that necessitates hiring an outside consultant and formulate a case study. The assignment should include at least 10 sources and follow APA formatting. Specific assignment instructions are provided in the course site. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Consulting SWOT Analysis Assignment

This assignment is intended to allow the student to conduct a current self-assessment for consulting work based on the learning from this course. Some may be new to the idea and practice of consulting, while others may have significant experience consulting. In either case, continued growth and development is needed to be a successful consultant for Christian faith-based organizations. A SWOT analysis will be the framework for the student’s self-assessment, which will help him/her contemplate current areas of Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This assignment should be approximately 2-4 pages in length and follow APA formatting. Specific assignment instructions are provided in the course site. (CLO: A, B, C, D)