PRTH 701 Ministry Foundations

This course offers a broad introduction to ministry as an expression of practical theology, the challenges and opportunities related to ministry in the contemporary context of the 21st century, and the various expressions of the practice of ministry

Ph.D. students in applied theology, who will be doing advanced research in ministry-related fields, have a need for a broad overview of ministry as an expression of practical theology, the challenges and opportunities related to ministry in the contemporary context of the 21^st century, and the various expressions of ministry practice.

Textbook 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 must participate in 2 Discussions during the course in which the student must post a thread in response to the Discussion’s prompt and then respond to 2 students’ threads or replies. Each Discussion thread must contain at least 400 words; each reply must contain at least 200 words. All sources used, including textbooks and presentations, must be documented in current Turabian format. (CLO: A, B, C, D.)

Peer-Review Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 2 Peer-Review Discussions in this course. Peer-Review Discussions facilitate collaborative learning in which the students share insights about each other’s work, noting strengths and weaknesses and offering suggestions for improvement.

The student will upload the appropriate Peer-Review Discussion assignment for their classmates’ review, together with a thread of at least 400 words explaining and elaborating on the uploaded assignment. The student will then post at least 2 replies of at least 200 words each to classmates’ threads offering additional insights, helpful critique, noting strengths and weaknesses, and making suggestions for improvement. (CLO: A, B, C, D)

Ministry Research Project: Topic Proposal Assignment

The student will propose a topic for study throughout the term exploring an area, issue, or question in ministry that he or she deems worthy of further study. The proposal must include both a preliminary thesis statement and a preliminary bibliography of 5 to 10 sources on the proposed topic. The proposed topic must be relevant to applied ministry, practical theology, or applied apologetics and must apply ministry foundations explored in this course to a specific question or issue in contemporary Christian life and practice. (CLO: C, D, E)

Ministry Research Project: Annotated Bibliography Assignment

The student will submit an annotated bibliography of no fewer than 15 scholarly sources they plan to use in their research, correctly formatted in current Turabian style. Each bibliographic entry must include a brief paragraph (100 – 200 words) providing a clear rationale for the use of the source in terms of its appropriateness for the research and what it potentially contributes to the research plan. (CLO: C, D, E)

Ministry Research Project: Outline Assignment

The student will provide an outline (or project map) of their final paper in Harvard style. The outline must include a revised (if necessary) thesis statement that will be defended in the paper. The outline must include all major headings (sections) in the paper, along with all supporting points for each heading. At the end of each major heading, the student must include an explanatory paragraph (100 – 200 words) describing what is being undertaken in this section of the paper and how it contributes to the paper’s argument and development. (CLO: C, D, E)

Ministry Research Project: Final Paper Submission Assignment

The student will assemble the various parts of the Ministry Research Project into the final paper for submission. The paper must contain the following: thesis and conclusion, the outline converted to a contents page, appropriate engagement with both primary (biblical) and secondary (scholarly literature) sources, and demonstrate critical thinking and theological reflection appropriate to the topic. The paper must be between 15 and 25 pages in length, double spaced, fully documented with footnotes and bibliography of sources used, and fully compliant with current Turabian format. (CLO: C, D, E)

Reflective Essay Assignment

In this assignment, the student will reflect on their experience in the course, specifically as it relates to ministry. In an essay of not more than 10 pages, the student will revisit and reassess what they thought ministry was, what they learned about ministry they did not know prior to the course and identify an area where they would like to dig deeper and explore more fully and why. (CLO: E)