ML530/630: Lifelong Development (4 units)

J. Robert Clinton, Professor of Leadership
Spring 2007 Pasadena

 

 

DESCRIPTION:

This course explores the nature of Christian leadership development. Leadership emergence theory is a grounded theory derived from the comparative study of many life histories of biblical, historical, and contemporary leaders.
The development of a leader takes a lifetime. God processes or shapes a leader in terms of leadership character, leadership skills, and leadership values. The processes that God uses can be studied, categorized, and characterized. They can be integrated around a timeline of a leader that shows development from the big picture, the lifetime perspective. Patterns can be observed as God develops a person over a lifetime. These variables—that is, the large umbrella concepts of the course, processing, time, and patterns of response—form the backbone of the course. Emphasis in this course is upon recognition of values and lessons learned in God's processing as well as integration of them along a timeline.
Many individual concepts flowing from these variables such as various process items, the unique timeline, boundaries, giftedness development pattern, and many, many more are examined, all with a view toward understanding one's own shaping. The thrust of this course involves learning perspectives that will aid life-long development.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES: A student will have:

· proven the ability to analyze any leader’s life using leadership emergence theory concepts.
· proven the ability to construct a case study involving the following elements: unique timeline with additional information on it (response patterns, etc.); listing of process items; a narrative capsule (personal history); social base inventory; analysis of 5 key process items; major principles for the 5 key process items; analysis of one major boundary; giftedness analysis; destiny processing analysis; life purpose paragraph.
· familiarity with numerous leadership emergence concepts including: process items, response patterns, time-line definitions as seen by use in a written case study and exercises turned in daily;
· worked through analysis of Images of God concepts as seen in 10 spiritual formation inputs. See syllabus for details.

 

COURSE FORMAT:

This course meets for two two-hour sessions per week. The first session includes a time of spiritual formation. There are also instructor lectures and question/answer times. Half of the second session involves further input on lifelong development concepts. The other half is devoted to small group activities that apply the concepts.

 

REQUIRED READING: If you have previously read any of the required texts, please select an alternative text from the recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.

ML530 Class Syllabus.
ML530 Reader Articles (available on discs).
Clinton, J. Robert. The Making of a Leader. Colorado Springs: NAV Press, 1998.
Clinton, J. Robert. Leadership Emergence Theory. Altadena: Barnabas Publishers, 1989.
Trebesch, Shelley. Isolation. Altadena: Barnabas Publishers, 1997.
Choice of One:
Samuel
. Altadena: Barnabas Publishers, 1993.
Barnabas
. Altadena: Barnabas Publishers, 1997.
Joshua
. Altadena: Barnabas Publishers, 1990.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Reading of all listed materials plus additional case studies on CD handed out in class.
2. Weekly exercises from Leadership Emergence Theory and articles designed for analysis of a student’s own life.
3. A case study on the student's own life using leadership emergence theory concepts to prompt analysis. This case study will be completed by the end of the tenth week.
4. Th.M. Students: Presentation in small group from biographical case study.

 

PLEASE NOTE, Computer/Email Ability Important: In this class, students will be expected to handle emails to and from the Professor and graders. Such emails will have attachments as Word or PDF documents. All grading will be electronically done by Professor and graders and sent back to the student. You will be expected to be familiar with reading and using PDF documents. You will be expected to be able to use MEMORY sticks with USB ports as information will often be passed around in class. We welcome lap-tops in class, but they are not required. We will have optional sessions or assign mentors to help students get up to speed on these skills. On day 1, CDs will be passed out to the class with all the basic inputs and PowerPoints for the quarter on it. Frequent emails are sent to the class updating them on various items.

 

PREREQUISITES: Students must have at least three years of ministry experience or equivalent. No auditing.

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Core course for MA in Intercultural Studies program.

 

FINAL EXAM: No written examination. Final class day students share orally the results of the class on their lives.

 

Last Date Edited: December 18, 2006