MT540: Missiological Issues—The Church in the City (4 units)

Pablo A. Deiros, Professor of History of Mission
Winter 2004 Pasadena

DESCRIPTION:

The world is now undergoing the most extensive and rapid urbanization it has ever seen. This is a global phenomenon that challenges the Christian testimony. However, one of the least contextualized aspects of mission in the city is the nature, shape, and missiological orientation of the Church itself. This course seeks to foster reflection, new insights, and creative vision for the way the Church might be re-shaped and reoriented in order to be missiologically viable in the cities of today’s world. After considering the challenge of the city, students will be led to understand life in the city from a global perspective. The presence of the Church in the city will be critically analyzed. Effective Church evangelism in the city as well as the Christian mission in the city will be examined. Students in the course will also study some specific strategies for conquering the city for Christ.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Introduction to a Biblical and renewed concept of Church in the city and the possibilities of the local congregation.
• Develop an understanding of missiological ecclesiology.
• Develop a vision, motivation, and understanding of the way in which the Gospel may be incarnated through a contextual encounter of the believing community in mission to the individuals and structures that both form and are formed by the social environment of the city.

COURSE FORMAT:

This is a ten-weeks regular course. Class time will consist of lectures on major missiological issues related to the Christian testimony of the Church in the city and discussion based on daily reading assignments.

REQUIRED READING:

If you have read any of the required texts for another course, please select an alternative text from the recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.

Bakke, Ray. The Urban Christian. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1992.
Claerbaut, David. Urban Ministry. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
Conn, Harvie. The American City and the Evangelical Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994.
Dennison, Jack. City Reaching. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1999.
Greenway, Roger S., ed. Discipling the City. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992.
Greenway, Roger S. and Timothy M. Monsma. Cities: Missions’ New Frontier. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989.
Grigg, Viv. Cry for the Urban Poor. Monrovia, CA: MARC, 1992.
Hunter III, George G. Church for the Unchurched. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.
Linthicum, Robert C. City of God, City of Satan. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.
Pannell, William. Evangelism from the Bottom Up. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.
Schaller, Lyle. The Seven-Day-a-Week Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992.
Silvoso, Ed. That None Should Perish. Ventura, CA: Regal Books,1994.
Van Engen, Charles. God’s Missionary People. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991.
Van Engen, Charles and Jude Tiersma, eds. God So Loves the City. Monrovia, CA: MARC, 1994.
Wagner, C. Peter. Churchquake! Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1999.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. 1500 pages of reading from the required reading list and other texts.
2. 5000 to 6250-word paper describing the results of an on-site observation of a city congregation, and including perspectives from the reading and suggested ways in which the congregation studied by the student may be more viably missional in its orientation to its urban context.

PREREQUISITE: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective for SIS. Meets Min. 8 requirement in M.Div. program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

Last Date Edited: October 1, 2003.