Course Syllabus
E-mail: ckelsey@iliff.edu tbarlow@iliff.edu
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Synopsis: An introduction to theologies that live into mission/evangelism, that is, service and proclamation, appropriate to a variety of contemporary contexts. Includes tools for thinking about who your congregation is trying to reach, how leadership can assist a congregation in turning around from decline into steady growth, and investigating a vital congregation and interview with its pastor. Finally, we practice reading a "secular" book for its value in thinking about ministry.
Announcements can be found in the Announcements List, but you should be receiving them in your email as well. If you aren't, either there is something wrong with your notification settings in Canvas, or those emails are going into your email spam folder. To check your notification settings, click "Settings" in the top right corner of this window, then select "Notifications" on the left side of the Settings page. If those settings look OK, then the spam folder might be the problem, but that is a different setting in each email client. Contact the Helpdesk for assistance.
The Church Research Assignment is now online. Start by looking at the Congregational Research Project page, then visit the Group Signup page to select which church and group you are going to work on. Group sizes are limited!
Group Signups are now online! As of 3/23, you can sign up for:
- One of two optional practice hangouts during the first week (Can't make either one? Let us know that, and we can add another...)
- A Theologies of Mission discussion group either April 2 or 3
As of 3/28, signups for the Who are You Trying to Reach and You Only Have to Die discussions are online.
As of 4/16, signups for Turnaround Church discussions are online.
As of 5/1, optional signups are available for a live online session with Dr. Harnish on Tuesday, May 13 at 2:00 pm Mountain, as well as two opportunities for an online practicum about demographics, largely focused on www.missioninsite.com (used by the UMC and other denominations), on Tuesday, May 6 at 4:00 pm or Saturday, May 10 at 2:00 pm.
5/6 - Church Research Groups are available for signup. See above.
Please Introduce Yourself by March 28th
Before Week 1 Technology Requirements please read!
Books and Other Readings
Three books are required for everyone:
1. Harnish, James. You Only Have to Die: Leading Your Congregation to New Life. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004. ISBN-10 0687066883 ISBN-13: 9780687066889 $12.59 at Cokesbury.com; same for Kindle version
2. Block, Peter. Community: The Structure of Belonging. Berrett-Koehler Pub., 2009. ISBN 10-9780687066889 ISBN-13-978-1605092775 paper $12.77 amazon.com; $9.49 for Kindle version
3. Block, Peter. The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters. Berrett-Koehler Pub., 2003. ISBN-10 -1576752712 ISBN-13-978-1576752715 paper $12.41 Kindle $12.49
Two additional articles required for everyone will be posted within the secure portion of Canvas.
Two additional books are required, each chosen from two different lists:
In addition to the books required of everyone, each student will select one book in each of two categories. Each book will be discussed at a particular Google Hangout time and date - you will want to wait to purchase any of these books until you know which group you are able to meet with. These meetings begin in the 4th week of the term, so there is time to acquire them after signup occurs in week 1.
'Who are You Trying to Reach?' Books:
These books focus on specific groups that churches target, sometimes by age or disenfranchisement, or on the overall methodology of "church" as we know and do it today. Choose one from this list (and remember that you also need to be able to "attend" the online discussion). Prices listed are Amazon's prices as of 2/22/14, and may fluctuate.
| Gil Rendle | Back to Zero: The Search to Rediscover the Methodist Movement | ISBN: 1426740395 $10.35 Paperback $8.69 Kindle |
| Kenda Creasy Dean | Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church | ISBN: 0195314840 $17.73 Paperback $9.99 Kindle |
| F. Douglas Powe | New Wine, New Wineskins | ISBN: 1426742223 $17.22 Paperback $10.99 Kindle |
| Tom Bandy* | See, Know & Serve the People Within Your Reach | ISBN: 1426774176 $17.20 Paperback $9.99 Kindle |
| Nadia Bolz-Weber | Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint | ISBN: 047063345X $22.00 Hardcover $10.99 Kindle |
* We will be attempting to include the authors of these books in our online discussions. No guarantees, but we are working on it.
Turn-around Church Books:
Each of these has been cited by the leadership of vital congregations as being especially helpful to them in their turnaround work. Choose one from this list (and remember that you also need to be able to "attend" the online discussion). Prices listed are Amazon's prices as of 2/22/14, and may fluctuate.
| Phil Maynard | Shift: Helping Congregations Back Into the Game of Effective Ministry | Amazon ASIN: 0470486724 Kindle ONLY $14.95 Kindle |
| Thom Rainer and Geiger |
Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples | ISBN: 0805447997 $12.93 Paperback $9.99 Kindle |
| Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson |
Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can, Too | ISBN: 0805445366 $10.19 Hardcover $9.68 Kindle |
| Alan Hirsch | The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church | ISBN: 1587431645 $14.22 Paperback $9.99 Kindle |
| Reggie McNeal | Missional Communities: The Rise of the Post-Congregational Church | ISBN: 047063345X $17.75 Hardcover $13.99 Kindle |
Guide For The Perplexed CHECK THIS OUT TO HELP WITH OVERWHELM
1 page chart version of all course assignments by week
There is a Google Hangout every week beginning in week 2 - if you had trouble check here or contact the helpdesk@iliff.edu
Other Useful Links and Instructions:
Getting Your Mind Around All The Pieces Of This Course
Learning Goals For This Course
What Is A "Book Diagram"?! There is now at least one example of a book diagram on this page.
Sign up for the Reading Groups (This will go live in mid-March) Before you sign up for a reading group, please note:
- Sign up for one reading group time for each reading. When you are done signing up, you should be in one group for the Nussbaum/Bosch reading, one group for the "Who Are You Trying to Reach?" reading (which will determine which material you read or view), one group for the Harnish reading, one group for the "Turnaround Church" reading (again, that will determine which book you read), and one group for the Peter Block reading.
- Each reading group should be considered full when there are five participants. Please (please, please) don't add your name to a group which already has five participants; if you do, we will (arbitrarily, capriciously) move you to another group. Canvas does not allow us to limit the number of self-signups, so we are using the honor system...
You might note that several of the Reading Groups for the "Who Are You Trying to Reach?" books are a little different: the author of the book is scheduled to join us for our Hangout. You will still need to post a book diagram. It would also be hospitable to think of a question you want to ask the author.
PS. don't panic if your tweets are not showing up below. We will be checking from Twitter.com You can search on the hashtag yourself and make sure that your tweets are showing up on Twitter.com.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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