ML534: Value-Based Leadership: Old Testament (4 units)

J. Robert Clinton, Professor of Leadership
Winter 2003 Pasadena


DESCRIPTION:

Leadership theory over the past 150 years has evolved through five major paradigmatic eras. The present era, the Complexity Era, has a strong focus toward value-based leadership. Early eras concentrated on the "what" of leadership and the "how" of leadership. The Complexity Era continues these, but adds the "why" of leadership. This course utilizes many of these leadership perspectives, most of which are cross-cultural, to test and explore these findings in the Old Testament. What does the Old Testament say about these various leadership perspectives (such as leadership elements, leadership styles, philosophical models, leadership emergence theory, mentoring, change dynamics, etc.) as the framework for studying leadership? Four of the six leadership eras in the Bible, the four Old Testament eras, are studied: I. The Patriarchal Leadership Era (leadership roots), II. The Pre-Kingdom Leadership Era (desert, warfare, tribal), III. The Kingdom Leadership Era (united, divided, single), IV. The Post-Kingdom Leadership Era (exile, post-exilic, interim). Seven types of studies are done: (1) biographical, (2) historical leadership acts, (3) actual leadership contexts, (4) parabolic leadership literature, (5) indirect passages dealing with Christian character or behavior, (6) Bible books studied as a whole placing them in their context hermeneutically and in terms of leadership eras, (7) studies across books for common themes and lessons on leadership (called macro-lessons). One Bible character, Daniel, will be studied using lifelong development concepts. Several O.T. books--Daniel, Esther, and Haggai--will be studied for leadership insights. Students will learn how to do biographical studies, contextual studies for leadership lessons, and how to analyze leadership acts. Several macro-lessons will be studied in-depth. The Old Testament is one of the best leadership resources and least used for that purpose.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Ability to analyze any of the seven leadership genre in the Old Testament for leadership findings.
• Recognize the importance of the Bible as a source of leadership information.
• Learn some skills for studying leadership in the Bible.
• Learn some major leadership lessons from the Bible.
• Evaluate themselves on their present Bible knowledge.
• Commit themselves to an on-going program of personal Bible study so as to improve their Bible knowledge in general and Biblical leadership knowledge in particular with a view toward becoming Bible centered leaders.

COURSE FORMAT:

The class meets twice a week. See syllabus for details of scheduling. The 1st session on Monday will be a SF time. The 2nd session will be input on some leadership concept from the Old Testament. The first session on Wednesday will be input on some leadership concept from the Old Testament. The 2nd session on Wednesday will be small groups doing exercises on Old Testament leadership concepts.

REQUIRED READING:

ML534 syllabus and ML534 reader.
Bjoraker, Bill. Samuel—Last of the Judges and First of the Prophets: A Model Leader for Transitional Times. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1993.
Clinton, J. Robert. Joseph—Destined to Rule-A Study in Integrity and Divine Affirmation. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1985.
_______. Leadership Perspectives—How To Study the Bible for Leadership (formerly Handbook I). Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1993.
_______. The Bible and Leadership Values—A Book By Book Analysis. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1993.
_______. Equipped By the Word. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1994. (or Having Ministry That Lasts).
_______. Clinton’s Biblical Leadership Commentary. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1999.
_______. Having A Ministry That Lasts. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1998.
Haubert, Katherine and J. Robert Clinton. The Joshua Portrait: A Study in Leadership Development, Leadership Transition, and Destiny Fulfillment. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1990.
See syllabus for actual listing of other required technical works available on the reserve shelf in the library.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Clinton, J. Robert. A Short History of Leadership Theory. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1986.
_______. Conclusions on Leadership Styles. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1986.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Satisfactory completion of pre-test on leadership perspectives from Leadership Perspectives.
Evaluation of Bible background using the BMPI given in Having A Ministry That Lasts.
1500 pages of reading of required materials.
Two communication events.

PREREQUISITES: None. Courses such as ML530 or ML501, ML520, ML521, and ML523 are helpful.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:

Elective. Auditors need written permission of instructor prior to first week of quarter/orientation lecture. Auditors must do all exercises and projects of the class.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

Last Date Edited: September 23, 2002