COURSE SYLLABUS The Institute for Student Ministry Excellence

Transcription

1 COURSE SYLLABUS The Institute for Student Ministry Excellence Course Number and Title Semester Professor s Name SM 300 Basic Ministry to Students Online Dr. Charles Boyd Professor s Phone Professor s Address pb@smeonline.net ISME Purpose Statement 1. The Institute of Student Ministry Excellence provides the essential courses in Christian education related to the training of evangelical adults for certification in student ministry with specific emphasis on Basic Student Ministry Programming, Leadership in Student Ministry, Discipleship and Evangelism in Student Ministry, Culture and Adolescent Development, and Practicum in Student Ministry Course Description SM 300 Basic Ministry to Students: A study of understanding ministry to today s teenagers. Included are the characteristics, interests, and needs of students as well as the methods and techniques of how to meet those needs. Philosophies of ministry, programming alternatives, and methods of program delivery are also studied. 1

2 Course Student Learning Outcomes By the completion of the course, each student will be able to do the following: 1. Recognize the basic issues of ministering to the adolescent community through the local church. 2. Consider the history and effectiveness of student ministry. 3. Express a biblical rationale for the place and purpose of student ministry in the church. 4. Explore the essential roles and relationships of a student minister. 5. Review and evaluate current practices and programming in student ministry. 6. Identify the leadership skills and abilities needed to conduct a student ministry. Required Textbook Fields, Doug Purpose Driven Student Ministry: 9 Essential Foundations for Healthy Growth. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Non-Required Textbook Heflin, Houston Youth Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Youth Ministry. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. Oestreicher, Mark Youth Ministry 3.0: A Manifesto of Where We've Been, Where We Are & Where We Need to Go. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Course Requirements 1. Eight random quizzes or assignments will appear after content segments. You must complete each one prior to progressing in the course. (100 points each) Total 800 points. 2. Complete one of three options below (A, B or C). (200 points) Option A Write and submit a 5-10 page book report covering one of the assigned textbooks. This can be the required text book or one of the two optional text books. Your paper should be titled: Book Report, name of book and author A good report should contain: 1. Your overview and synthesis of each chapter. 2. Your thoughts and explanation of the author s most important contributions in writing the book. 3. Your evaluation of the book, and 4. Your closing thoughts. *Document must be typed in 12pt Times New Roman font. Include a title page along with your name, date, class reference, professor s name, title of paper. 2

3 Option B A 10 page report of a youth ministry in action. Your paper should be title Report of Youth Ministry in Action. You are to visit and preview a live youth ministry in action. The purpose is to observe, learn, and evaluate a comprehensive pre-selected youth ministry in action on Wednesday night and/or Sunday. You must complete the listening/observation guide and write your report from your observation notes. The observation report must include a gathering/worship setting AND a discipleship/small group setting. The report is NOT simply the observation guide (it is simply a guide) Prepare your report from the notes you made on the guide. *This cannot be a ministry in which you are currently serving! Submit your listening guide in addition to and along with your report. *Document must be double spaced with one inch margins using a Times Roman 12 point font Submit a title page along with your name, date, class reference, professor s name, and title of paper. You must submit your Observation Guide as an addendum to this report. Option C Submit a paper titled Interview. Your assignment is to interview a local church student minister who has a minimum of 5 years full time student ministry experience. (does not have to be at the same church) You are to discuss the perceived strengths and weaknesses of his/her student ministry. This interview can be in person, on the phone, or video call such as Face Time or Skype. The student should seek to discern if the student ministry has a stated philosophy and the effectiveness of this philosophy. This should not be the evaluation of a certain program (Small groups, Wednesday night worship, etc.) but rather an evaluation of the philosophy of the ministry and the effectiveness of applying this philosophy in the current youth culture. An explanation of how the strengths and weaknesses play a part in achieving the perceived or stated philosophy of ministry. Possible questions to ask are: Do you have a stated philosophy of ministry? If so, what is it? If you have a stated philosophy do others in your ministry know what it is and how you are communicating it to them? How does (should) a philosophy of ministry impact what you are trying to accomplish in your ministry? How does (should) a philosophy of ministry impact what you schedule and how you spend ministry budget money? These questions serve as a guide but you are not limited by them. This paper should include the content from your interview as well as your thoughts in light of your required reading and class lectures. Include in your paper suggestions for improvement on from what you have learned from the student minister. *These suggestions are to be communicated in the paper and NOT to the minister. Include a title page along with your name, date, class reference, professor s name, title of paper. *This paper should be 10 pages long, (12 point, Times New Roman) and must be submitted prior to completion of this course. Grading Online Assignments Outside Assignments (Option A, B or C) 800 points 200 points 3

4 Grading Scale A = points B = points C = points D = points F = 599 or less Participation Information 1. Each student is free to progress at their own pace but within a one year period from enrollment date. 2. Each student should take notes as he/she progresses through the online content. 3. Each student is required to submit online assignments as they appear in the content. 4. The professor reserves the right to alter the syllabus in order to better meet the needs of the class members or learning outcomes. 4

5 Observation/Listening Guide Student Name: Course Student Name of Church being observed Name of Ministry/Event attending Age group Name of Youth Pastor Date of this Observation: Time In Time Out How long has this Youth Leader been in ministry? Less than 7 years More than 7 years More than 12 years Signature of Youth Minister (My signature verifies the date and times observed by the student named on this guide) Based on your best perception and what you can draw from the room, programming, content, décor, message or process, what do you feel is the primary purpose of this event and why? What is the secondary purpose and why? 5

6 Give a grade to the following areas according to how each accomplishes the ministry purpose for this event. Explain why. 1. Room/location/décor 2. Level of student involvement (leadership, set up, operations, programming, etc.) 3. Quality of programming 4. Use of Technology/Media 5. Sound Equipment and Music 6. Friendliness of group (not necessarily to you but what you observe between peers) How many volunteers (if any) were assisting this ministry event? (college age and up) What was their role? What was the racial breakdown of group? Describe what the mix of students seemed to be. i.e.: traditional, educated, skaters, bubble, entry level, ms/hs, core, etc. Overall effectiveness of event? What level of unity and purpose did you sense among the students and leadership? (scale of 1-10 with one being none and 10 being highly unified and purposeful) 6

7 Selected Bibliography Chow, David No More Lone Rangers: How to Build a Team-Centered Youth Ministry. Loveland: Group. Clark, Chap, and Kara E. Powell Deep Ministry in a Shallow World: Not-So-Secret Findings About Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Dean, Kenda Creasy Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Dean, Kenda Creasy, and Ron Foster The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry. Nashville: Upper Room. Dean, Kenda Creasy, ed., OMG A Youth Ministry Handbook. Nashville: Abingdon Press. Geiger, Eric, and Jeff Borton Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship. Nashville: Broadman and Holman. Johnston, Kurt, and Katie Edwards Go Team: 101 Ideas to Energize Youth Ministry Volunteers. Loveland: Group. Johnston, Kurt, and Katie Edwards Full of It: Ideas to Fill Youth Ministry Volunteers with Encouragement. Loveland: Group. Reid, Alvin L., Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium. Grand Rapids: Kregel. Ross, Richard Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ. Bloomington: Crossway. DeVrise, Mark Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do About It. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Rahn, David, Karen Jones, Merton Strommen Youth Ministry That Transforms. Zondervan. 7