EVAN 997 Changing Trends in Church Ministry I. COURSE DESCRIPTION: A biblical and sociological investigation of the nature and mission of the church in light of it s changing methods and trends. This study will determine the present needs of the church in light of its biblical nature and mission. Then an evaluation of emerging forms of ministry will be made. The student will evaluate his present ministry and its potential for future development. II. REQUIRED TEXTS: Towns, Elmer L., Stetzer, Ed, Perimeters of Light, Moody Press Towns, Elmer L., Stetzer, Ed; Bird, Warren, 11 Innovations in the Local Church, Regal Books Towns, Elmer L., Changing Trends and Methods in the Church (worktext free download) Towns, Elmer L., Mullins, Todd, The Online Church (ebook) Liberty University Press III. MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES (LUBTS PLOs 1-5) Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Assess his/her leadership potential with a view of self-direction toward becoming the type of leader that best suits his nature and talents. 2. Appraise how the various programs and ministries of a local church contribute to the growth and healthy of that particular ministry. 3. Evaluate the nature, qualifications, and types of biblical leadership and what types of leadership are needed for ministry in today s world. 4. Examine the nature and effectiveness of contemporary evangelism as practiced in the local church. 5. Explain the changing nature or methods used by churches and what trends those represent. 6. Assess the changing methods and trends in Christian churches to the biblical standards. 7. Apply the various trends and methods to the student s church experience and assess the potential success when applied. IV. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS: 1. Read required text: 11 Innovations in the Local Church by Elmer Towns, Ed Stetzer, Warren Bird, Regal Books, 2007, and Perimeters of Light by Elmer Towns, Ed Stetzer, Moody Press, 2006, The Online Church, by Elmer Towns and Todd Mullins, Liberty University Press (ebook). Changing Trends in Church Ministry 1 EVAN 997
2. The student will write a one-paragraph summary of each chapter of the three required textbooks mentioned above. You may be asked to present an oral summary in class of one chapter from these books. This assignment is due before class begins. It is to be turned in online through Blackboard.[PLO# 6] 3. Read a total of 2,500 pages. (One full page of webpage counts for 7 pages of reading) Fill out a reading report form (attached) on each different book or webpage. The pre-session assignments count toward the total assignment. [PLO# 2, 6] 4. Daily quizzes over the material covered in class (includes both lectures and presentations). [PLO# 3] 5. Write an evaluation/assignment on your local church (about 7 to 10 pages). Answer the following questions in your paper using the statistics of your church in the answer. a. What are the side doors into your church? b. What is the style of worship in your church? c. What are the barriers to the health and growth in your church? d. What new trends is your church presently using? e. What new trends or methods could your church use? Why? 7. Bring a paper to class (no footnotes) on the positives and negatives of the multisite church and the online church (readings for this project count to total readings for course). Students with a documented disability may contact the Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) in TE 127 for arrangements for academic accommodations." Perimeters of Light report 100 pts. 11 Innovations Report 100 pts. Final Readings Report 200 pts. Quizzes 300 pts. Final Project 300 pts. Total 1000 pts. V. GRADING SCALE: 940-1000 A 920-939 A- 900-919 B+ 860-899 B 840-859 B- 820-839 C+ 780-819 C 760-779 C- 740-759 D+ 700-739 D 680-699 D- 679 and below F Changing Trends in Church Ministry 2 EVAN 997
VI. ATTENDANCE POLICIES: Regular and punctual attendance is required of all students. As this course is an intensive, any significant loss of class time will result in removal from the course or failure of the course at the discretion of the professor. Additionally, active participation is required during the intensive and is the basis for 10% of the students overall grade. VII. OTHER POLICES: A. Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct is strictly prohibited. See The Graduate Catalog for specific definitions, penalties, and processes for reporting. B. Disability Statement Online students with a documented disability may contact the DLP Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at dlpodas@liberty.edu to make arrangements for academic accommodations. Residential students with a documented disability may contact the Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) in TE 127 for arrangements for academic accommodations. C. Drop/Add Policy Consult the Graduate Catalog for drop/add policies. D. Dress Code Students are expected to maintain a neat, professional appearance while in class. Consult the Liberty Way for appropriate guidelines. E. Classroom Policies Classroom policies will be established and enforced by the individual instructor. Changing Trends in Church Ministry 3 EVAN 997
READING REPORT EVAN 997 Date of Course: NAME DATE DUE DATE GRADE Book (author, title, place, publisher, date) Total number of pages: ISBN Number: Email source and/or number: One paragraph summary of book/article List strengths of book/article List weaknesses of book/article Changing Trends in Church Ministry 4 EVAN 997
Quote sentence or paragraph that best reflects the author's thesis: Why have you chosen the above quotation? BIBLIOGRAPHY Changing Trends in Church Ministry THE MULTISITE CHURCH A. Articles on Multi-Site Churches Multi-Site Church Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/multi-site_church Multi-Site Church Road Trip 5 Reasons Why I Love Multi-Site http://multisitechurch.typepad.com Pros & Cons of Multi-Site Church Ministry http://vanderbloemen.com/insights The Multi-Site Church Model by Neil Cole http://www.cmaresources.org/article/multi-site-model_n-cole 5 Trends in How Multisite Churches Start and Grow by Warren Bird http://leadnet.org/5-trends-in-how-multisite-churches-start-and-grow Changing Trends in Church Ministry 5 EVAN 997
7 Tips for Planning Your Multi-Site Church http://www.worshiptechdecisions.com/article/7_tips_for_planning_your_multistie_church High-Tech Circuit Riders http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/009/24.60.html Satellite Link Between Churches Could Spread Gospel Faster http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article Big Churches Use Technology to Branch Out http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=4788676 National Public Radio: All Things Considered, August 7, 2005 The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations http://www.amazon.com/the-multi-site-church-revolution-leadership/dp/0310270154 Multi-Site Churches Are From The devil http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2011/09/27/multi-site-churches-are-fromthe-devil Journal: Multi-Site Churches/ 9Marks http://www.9marks.org/journal/multi-site-churches Multi-Site Churches Number Over 5,000 on the Rise http://www.christianpost.com/news/report-multisite-churches-number-over-5000-on-the-rise Are Multi-Site Churches Biblical? http://theresurgence.com/2011/05/18/are-multi-site-churches-biblical Multi-Site Churches Mean Pastors Reach Thousands USA Today http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-12-17-1amultischurches17_cv_n.htm Multi-Site Church Planting http://www.namb.net/namb1cb1col.aspx?id=8590001111 Top 10 Multi-Site Churches http://geoffsurratt.com/top_10_multisit/ Multiple Sites: Yea or Nay? http://vimeo.com/13082622 B. Books on Multi-Site Churches Collier, Bryan. The Go-To Church: Post MegaChurch Growth. Abingdon Press, 2013 (Book) Changing Trends in Church Ministry 6 EVAN 997
Malphurs, Aubrey. A New Kind of Church: Understanding Models of Ministry for the Church. Baker Publishing Group, 2007 (Book) McConnell, Scott. Multi-Site Churches: Guidance for the Movement s Next Generation. B&H Publishing Group, 2009 (Book) Schaller, Lyle E. Innovations in Ministry: Models for the Twenty-first Century. Abingdon Press, 1994 (Book) Surratt, Geoff, and Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird. The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations. Zondervan, 2009 (ebook) Surratt, Geoff, and Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird. The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations. Zondervan, 2009 (Audiobook) Surratt, Geoff, and Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird. A Multi-Site Church Roundtrip: Exploring the New Normal. (Audiobook) THE INTERNET CHURCH A. Articles on The Internet Church Internet Church Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/internet_church Starting an Affective Internet Ministry http://www.freechurchwebsites.com/starting-an-affective-internet-ministry Top 10 Reasons to Start an Online Church http://www.churchleaders.com/?news=138871 Launching an Internet Campus on a Shoestring Budget http://churchm.ag/launching-an-internet-campus-on-a-shoestring-budget Web Is Popular Place To Open A Church http://www.nbcnews.com/id/33575348/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets Can Church Happen Online? By Jonathan Merritt https://www.qideas.org/blog/can-chruch-happen-onlie.aspx Changing Trends in Church Ministry 7 EVAN 997
Internet Church Campus The Visual Studio Can Help You With All Of Your Internet Church Campus Needs http://www.internetchurchcampus.com Help For A Church Internet Ministry Struggling To Get Started www.internettoolboxforchurches.com/church-internt-minsity-getting-started Church Internet Ministry Success Factor: Forming Habits www.internttoolboxforchurches.com/church-internet-ministry-habits Embracing the Cyberchurch Next-Wave www.next-wave.org/dec99/embracing_the_cyberchurch Liberation Cyber-Church: A Church Without Walls! WebRing www.webspace.webring.com Internet Believers: Pastors Open Online Churches www.technologyreview.com Havin Cyber Church Today s Christian Woman www.todayschristianwoman.com September 2005 Tall Skinny Kiwi: Criticism of Virtual Community and Cyber Churches www.tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com The Perils and Promises of Cyber-Church Second Nature www.secondnaturejournal.com/the-perils-and-promise-of-cyber-church-2 April 12, 2013 B. Books on The Internet Church Changing Trends in Church Ministry 8 EVAN 997
Bailey, Brian and Terry Storch. The Blogging Church. Jossey Bass, 2007 Dixon, Patrick. Cyberchurch. Kingsway Publications, 1997 Easum, Bill and Bill Tenny-Brittian. Under The Radar: Learning From Risk Taking Churches. Abingdon Press, 2005 Estes, Douglas. SimChurch: Being the Church in the Virtual Word. Zondervan, 2009 Fromm, Chuck. Worship Leader, Fall 2000 The Church in Cyberspace: What You Need to Know About the Internet, 2000 Rice, Jesse. Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community. David C. Cook, 2009 Thompson, Phil. Streaming Video For Churches in One Hour: Everything You Need To Know About Streaming Video For Your Church (September 17, 2013). Wilson, Len. The Wired Church 2.0. Abingdon Press, 2008 Wilson, Walter P. The Internet Church. Word Publications, 2000 Changing Trends in Church Ministry 9 EVAN 997