MN591: Independent Study: Planting
Urban Churches (4 units)
Ken
Gates, Adjunct Instructor in Urban Mission
While
working in the business world as a computer project manager, Ken was led to get
involved in urban ministries in Pasadena. After several years of working full
time and leading urban ministries at Lake Avenue Church, he left the business
world to start an urban leadership development ministry. Eventually Ken became
the interim director of Community Outreach at Lake Avenue Church. Over the last
several years he has earned Masters degrees at Fuller in Intercultural Studies
and Theology, and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies with
an emphasis on Discipleship in the City.
Winter 2004 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
This course will provide an orientation to urban church planting from both the Crowns of Beauty conference as well as current urban and church-planting literature. The primary goal is to encourage and equip students to plant churches in the city. The seminars and plenary speakers from the conference will address many aspects of methods and models of church planting in the urban context. Conference input and reading will be supplemented with reflection and small group discussion.
COURSE FORMAT:
The course is based around the Crowns of Beauty: Planting Urban Churches conference sponsored by World Impact, which will meet February 12-13, 2004 at the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California. Attendance at the conference and three class sessions (one before the conference, one during the conference, and one after the conference) is required (see assignments listed below for further explanations). Additional readings, reflection papers, and small group discussion will also be required.
• If you are interested in registering
for this independent study, please contact the instructor at <thedisciple@cp.fuller.edu>
•
Information for conference registration can be obtained from
World Impact—by telephone (323-735-1137), email <crowns@worldimpact.org>,
or at their web site <http://www.worldimpact.org/cob.>.
REQUIRED
READING: A minimum of 1,500 pages of reading is required from the lists below.
Gornick,
Mark R. To Live in Peace: Biblical Faith
and the Changing Inner City. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing 2002.
(261 pgs)
Logan, Robert E. Beyond Church Growth:
Action Plans for Developing a Dynamic Church. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming
Revell Co. 1989. (220 pgs)
Conn, Harvie. Planting and Growing Urban
Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker House, 1997. (272 pgs)
Shenk, David W. and Stutzman, Ervin R. Creating
Communities of the Kingdom. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press, 1988. (218 pgs)
RECOMMENDED
READING:
Chaney,
Charles L. Church Planting at the End of
the 20th Century. Wheaton, IL.: Tyndale House Publishing, 1982. (174 pgs)
Hesselgrave, David J. Planting Churches
Cross-Culturally: A Guide for Home and Foreign Missions. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker, 1980. (438 pgs)
Perkins, John. With Justice for All.
Ventura: Regal Books, 1982. (200 pgs)
Lithicum, Robert. Empowering the Poor.
Monrovia, CA.: MARC. 1991. (115 pgs)
Schaller, Lyle. Center City Churches.
Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1993. (187 pgs)
Grigg, Viv. Cry of the Urban Poor.
Monrovia, CA: MARC, 1992. (282 pgs)
Steffen, Tom. Passing the Baton: Church
Planting that Empowers Nationals. La Habra: Center for Organizational and
Ministry Dev. (264 pgs)
Ortiz, Manuel. One New People: Models for
developing a Multiethnic Church. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press 1996
(158 pgs)
Ortiz, Manuel and Susan S. Baker, eds. The
Urban face of Mission: Ministering the Gospel in a Diverse and Changing World
Phillipsburg, PA: P & R Publishing (373 pgs).
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Full conference attendance.
2. Attendance at three class sessions
(one pre-conference, one during the conference, and one post-conference.) Special note for out of town
students who wish to take the class, you may talk with the instructor about
arranging alternative work to replace the class sessions before and after the
conference. However, attendance at the conference is required.
3. Book Reports--10-page report logging
the books read, and key points gained from the reading.
4. Integrative Paper—12-page report
summarizing the overall conference, and how it relates to your current or
future area of ministry. Sections should include reflection and evaluations of
seminars and plenary sessions. Be sure to include new ideas, direction, and
insights gained from the conference and readings that can be utilized in your
current or future church planting setting.
5. Interview of Church Planter: Visit
and interview a church planter in an urban setting. Find the needed information
to assist you in developing your own method of church planting. Such topics
should include the history, methods, theology, targeted population, etc. A
three-page paper should be included to summarize the interview.
PREREQUISITES:
None.
RELATIONSHIP
TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL
EXAMINATION: None.