MD591: Healthcare Missions and Ministry Conference Course (4 Units)

Peter Yorgin, MD, Adjunct Associate Professor of Cross-Cultural Studies
Summer 2007 Pasadena

DESCRIPTION:

This course is an opportunity to engage in the issues addressed by the 2007 West Coast Healthcare Missions Conference in greater detail for academic credit. This year the conference, to be held on Fuller’s Pasadena campus August 3-4, is offering five tracks.   Students interested in any of these topics are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to get fresh insights and training at this exciting event. The tracks include:
     1. What the World Needs Now – an Assessment of Healthcare Needs in the Global Community,
     2. Emerging Leadership for the New Millennium – A study of how students can transition from
     class work to cross-cultural ministry.
     3. Short-term Cross-Cultural Health Care and Education – An overview of impact and methods of
     short term healthcare missions
     4.   The New Frontier in Cross-Cultural Health: Psychology (Includes Restoring Wholeness to
     Traumatized At-Risk Children) – A review of the diverse issues facing Christian Psychologists who
     engage in Cross-Cultural Psychology
     5. Urban Healthcare Ministry - A track dedicated to the concept that engagement in Cross-Cultural
     health needs may be as close as the nearby urban environment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completing this course, the student will be able to:
· Demonstrate awareness of recent developments in and critical issues relating to the aspect of healthcare and missions of the student’s choice.
· Critically interact with the above issues from theological, theoretical, practical, and personal perspectives.

COURSE FORMAT:

Attendance at the conference is mandatory for this course, and registration for the conference must be done separately (see http://healthcaremissions.org/registration.html for details). One required pre-conference session will be held on Wednesday, August 1 from 6;30-8:30 ; a debrief session over pizza will be held on Saturday, August 4 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The rest of the course will consist of independent research, reading and writing.

REQUIRED READING: (TOTAL 1500 pages) 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.

All students must read the following texts (approx. 900 pages):
1. Lankester, Ted. Setting up Community Health Programmes. Macmillan, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4050-8602-8
2. Rowland, Stan. Multiplying Light and Truth through Community Health Evangelism, GLS Press, 2001.
3. Long, W. Meredith. Health, Healing And God’s Kingdom. Regnum Books International, 2000. ISBN 1-870345-36-3
4. Tan, Lai Yong. Biting the Bamboo. Institute of Technical Education. 2004

Students must also read an additional 600 pages to be selected from the syllabus bibliography.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Attendance and participation at conference, including at least ten seminar sessions, is expected.
2. Three 300-word reflective interactive papers from three of the seminar sessions you attend. These papers should be broken into thirds: (a) briefly summarize the main thesis/issue addressed in the seminar (b) critically interact with the points of the seminar (including points of agreement and disagreement), and (c) reflect on the significance of the discussion for your own life and ministry.
3. A 500-word (approx. 2 pages) reflection on five networking contacts that you made at The 2007 West Coast Healthcare Missions and Ministry Conference and the implications of these contacts for your future vocation. Included could be details about a particular ministry, new directions in ministry within your particular field, implications for your current ministry context, and the influence upon your future life goals and desires. 4. An annotated bibliography on the required reading, listed above, and 600 pgs additional reading in area of specific vocation or research.
5. A 4000 word (approx. 16-18 pages) research paper, which critically addresses one question or issue in missions that you learned about at the conference. This paper will draw on the entire conference experience: the plenary speakers, readings, seminars, contacts, and interaction with classmates.
Note: All work is due no later than the end of the quarter, September 19, 2007.

PREREQUISITES: None. No auditors permitted.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAM: None.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Last Date Edited: 15 May 2007