Syllabus for The Present Future course

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Course Syllabus for “The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church”
by Dr. Reggie McNeal
Course Facilitator: Rev. Hilary E. Livingston – Associate Pastor, Lewes Presbyterian Church
 
Facilitator Contact Information: 
 
135 Lakeside Drive, Lewes, DE 19958 (mailing address) 
(302)-645-7741 (home)       (302)-645-5345 (office) 
(814)-577-4269 (cell phone)    heliving@gmail.com (email) 
 
Course Location/Time: 
 
This is a 10-week course meeting Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM at Lewes Presbyterian Church, 133 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958 beginning February 22, 2009. (NOTE: Class will not meet on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009) Students who cannot attend the course in person may take the course online. See Course Requirements section for specific details of online participation requirements. 
Course Overview:  
 
The purpose of this course is to give students an overview of missional theology and ministry. This course will examine the seismic changes occurring in our culture today, as well as provide some “tough questions” with which the North American church must wrestle to respond effectively to these challenges. This course will not present a few easy steps for increasing your church’s attendance, programming or facilities. Rather, this course is an introduction to a whole new way of thinking, doing, and ultimately being the church in today’s world. 
Course Objectives:
From this course, students will be able to:
 
  • Describe the cultural changes affecting the North American church.
  • Articulate what it means for the church to be missional in today’s world. 
  • Develop missional strategies for impacting the culture through the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
Course Materials (Required):
  1. McNeal, Reggie. The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church. San      Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003. 
 
  1. McNeal, Reggie, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church, Participant’s  Guide.             San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006.
 
  1. The Bible (see course requirements for specific readings)
 
  1. Access to the DVD Curriculum for The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church
 
NOTE: Those participating in the class in person will view DVD segments during the class meeting. Online students DO NOT need to purchase their own DVD sets – If you cannot attend the class in person, the presbytery will work to make DVDs available to students for viewing by region. More details are coming soon.
Course Requirements: (See course schedule for details about the following requirements)
  1. Read The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.
 
  1. Read and complete questions in The Present Future Participant’s Guide.
 
  1. View accompanying DVD video teaching segments by Dr. Reggie McNeal.
  1. Attend class sessions in person OR participate in an online discussion group through the CLPs’ Google group feedmysheep. Online Students: Each week, I will post a few questions from the participant’s guide online. All online students are required to post their answer to at least one of the posted questions, as well as read/respond to at least two other students’ answers each week. Of course, if students have their own questions/topics pertaining to the course they are welcomed to post them for others to read and respond.   
  1. Complete a brief paper (3-5 pages) answering the following questions:
 
    • How would you define the missional church? 
    • What would missional look like in your particular ministry context?
 
  1. Develop specific missional strategies for your particular ministry context. Take at least two of the “new realities” described in McNeal’s book and develop 3-4 specific missional ministry strategies that you will implement in each (1-2 pp. per “reality”). Make them as specific and directly applicable to your ministry context as possible.   Use the questions in the participant’s guide (especially pp. 36-37) to help you formulate these. 
 
Course Schedule:
Week One:     Read the preface and “The Author” section of the book The Present Future.
Read the “Preparing for the future” section of the participant’s guide (p.1-2).
                        Answer the questions in the participant’s guide (p.2-3).
                        View the two-minute promo of the DVD series. 
 
Week Two:    Read the introduction to the book The Present Future.
                        Read John 4 in the Bible.
                        View the “Series Introduction” of the DVD series.
                        Read pp.4-6 of the participant’s guide and answer the questions. (p.6)
 
Week Three: Read “New Reality Number One” chapter in The Present Future.
                         View “New Reality Number One” segment of the DVD series.
                         Read pp.7-10 of the participant’s guide and answer the questions.
 
Week Four:    Read and complete questions on pp.11-12 of participant’s guide.
 
Week Five:     Read “New Reality Number Two” chapter in The Present Future.
                         View “New Reality Number Two” segment of the DVD series.
                         Read and answer questions from pp.13-17 of the participant’s guide.
 
Week Six:       Read “New Reality Number Three” chapter in The Present Future.
                         View “New Reality Number Three segment of the DVD series.
                         Read and answer questions from pp.18-22 of the participant’s guide.
 
Week Seven:   Read “New Reality Number Four” chapter in The Present Future.
                         View “New Reality Number Four” segment of the DVD series.
                         Read and answer questions from pp.23-26 of participant’s guide.
 
Week Eight:  Read “New Reality Number Five” chapter in The Present Future.
                        View “New Reality Number Five” segment of DVD series.
                        Read and answer questions from pp.27-31 of participant’s guide.
 
Week Nine: Read “New Reality Number Six” chapter in The Present Future.
                       View “New Reality Number Six” segment of DVD series.
                       Read and answer questions from pp. 32-35 of participant’s guide.
 
Week Ten:    Read “Things I Didn’t Say” & Conclusion in The Present Future.
                       Read and answer questions from pp. 36-38 of participant’s guide. 
                       Work on final written assignments for course.
 
Course Assignment Due Dates/Grading
All coursework is due on or before June 1, 2009. Reading, DVD segments, and participant’s guide work are on the honor system – I will send you a form where you can attest to the fact that you have completed these assignments by the due date. The final two written assignments should be submitted directly to me, either by regular mail or email. Regular mail submissions must be postmarked by June 1, 2009 to be considered on time. Class will be graded on a pass/fail basis. You must satisfactorily complete at least 70% of all course requirements by the due date to receive a passing grade.  
 
 
 
 
 

 

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