MC689/789/889: Issues
in Church Growth (8 units)
Eddie Gibbs, Donald A.
McGavran Professor of Church Growth
Spring 2005 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
This
doctoral intensive tutorial seminar will be held April 25-May 6, Monday through
Friday, from 8-10 am. It is designed for doctoral students who have a church
growth component to their dissertation. This component may deal with one of a
variety of themes related to church growth. Some students will want to study
church growth as it occurs in the early church, from New Testament Times to the
beginning of the second century. Others will focus on contemporary issues; for
instance it may be a study of the numerical growth of a local church of a
denomination, or selected churches located in a given area. It may also focus on
a contributing factor such as small groups, specified evangelistic strategies,
worship styles or leadership models. You will be expected to read about twenty
books selected according to your tutorial title. The selected bibliography
simply offers suggestions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
•
Identify church growth issues and insights from a biblical perspective
• Explore insights appropriate to contemporary missional contexts
• Relate insights gains to the tutorial and dissertation topic of each student
TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO
ATTENDING THE SEMINAR TUTORIAL:
Prior
to attending the seminar the student must demonstrate they are conversant with
the relevant literature relating to the selected topic. They must prepare a
ten-page outline of their research project, which clearly states the goals of
the research and the methods that will be employed to research the data. The
paper should also include, if appropriate, a draft of any research tool you
intend to use, e.g. individual questionnaires, guidelines for participant-observation
events, questions for open-ended interviews.
Each student will prepare two copies of the research paper to send to two of
the students participating in the seminar by Monday April 11. Their names will
be supplied. Ten copies will be made of a one page summary will be distributed
among the other participants.
COURSE FORMAT:
During
each of the ten sessions a student will present their paper (20 minutes),
receive a 10-minute response from their two respondents, followed by a plenary
discussion. At the conclusion of the seminar, students will then revise their
papers in response to peer review and their own further reflections on their
topic. The final version of the paper must be between 30-40 pages, including
endnotes, but excluding the bibliography. Note: This is not a lecture-driven
seminar, but consists of student presentations and interaction.
REQUIRED READING: Students must select from the following list the
titles that best address their topic. 600 level students must respond to at
least 8 books, and 700-800 level students, to at least 15 books.
Allen, Roland. Missionary
Methods, St. Paul's or Ours? London, UK: World Dominion Press, 1922, 1962.
Banks, Robert. Paul's Idea of
Community–Revised Edition. Peabody, MA: Henrickson, 1979, 3rd printing,
1998.
Birkey, Del. The House Church–A Model for
Renewing the Church. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press, 1988.
Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church.
London, UK: Penguin Books, 1967, revised 1993.
Ehrman, Bart D., ed. After the New
Testament–A Reader in Early Christianity. New York, NY: Oxford University
Press, 1998.
Faivre, Alexandre. The Emergence of the
Laity in the Early Church. Maywah, NY: Paulist Press, 1990.
Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity–Second
Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987, 1993.
Friend, W.H.C. The Rise of Christianity.
Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1984.
Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early
Church. London, UK: Hodder & Stoughton, 1970.
Hall, Stuart G. Doctrine and Practice of
the Early Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1991.
Holmes, Michael W., ed. The Apostolic
Fathers–Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1989.
Irvin, Dale T. and Scott W. Sunquist, History
of the World Christian Movement: Volume 1: Earliest Christianity to 1453. Maryknoll,
New York: Orbis, 2001, pp. 1-153.
Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban
Christians–The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven and London: Yale
University Press, 1983.
Meeks, Wayne A. The Origins of Christian Morality–The First Two Centuries. New
Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1993.
O'Connor, Jerome Murphy. Paul–A Critical
Life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Stark, Rodney. The Rise of Christianity.
San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1997.
Theissen, Gerd, ed. Social Reality and
the Early Christians–Theology, Ethics, and the World of the New Testament.
Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992.
Contemporary
Issues:
Arnold, Jeffrey. Starting
Small Groups–Building Communities That Matter. Nashville, TN: Abingdon,
1997.
Barna, George. The Power of Vision.
Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1992.
Callahan, Kennon L. Twelve Keys to an
Effective Church. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1983.
Callahan,
Kennon J. Small, Strong Congregations:
Creating Strengths and Health for Your
Congregation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Donahue, Bill. Leading Life-Changing
Small Groups. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996.
Easum, William M. The Church Growth
Handbook. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1995.
________. The Complete Ministry Audit–How
to Measure 20 Principles for Growth. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1996.
Fickett, Harold L. Hope for Your Church;
Ten Principles of Church Growth. [2d ] ed. Glendale, CA: G/L Regal Books,
1972.
Finzel, Hans. The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders
Make. Wheaton, IL: BridgePoint, Victor Books, 1994.
George, Carl F., and Robert E. Logan. Leading
and Managing Your Church. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revel, 1987.
George, Carl F. Nine Keys to Effective
Small Group Leaders. Mansfield, PA: Kingdom, 1997.
Hoge, Dean R. Understanding Church Growth
and Decline, 1950-1978. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1979.
Jerry Herrington, Mike Bonem, James H. Furr. Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the
Transformational Journey. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Mallory, Sue. The Equpping Church.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.
McGavran, Donald. The Bridges of God: A
Study in the Strategy of Missions. New York: Friendship Press, 1955, 1981.
McGavran, Donald A. How Churches Grow:
The New Frontiers of Mission. New York: Friendship Press, 1959, 1966.
________. Ethnic Realities and the
Church: Lessons from India. Pasadena, CA: Wm. Carey Library, 1979.
________. Momentous Decisions in Missions
Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1984.
________, Ten Steps for Church Growth.
1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1977.
McGavran, Donald Anderson, Eugene Albert Nida, Robert Calvin Guy, and Melvin L.
Hodges. Church Growth and Christian
Mission. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row.
McLaren, Brian D. Reinventing Your Church.
Grand Rapids. MI: Zondervan, 1998.
Southerland, Dan. Transitioning: Leading
Your Church through Change. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.
Wagner, C. Peter. Strategies for Church
Growth : Tools for Effective Mission and Evangelism. Ventura, CA: Regal
Books, 1987.
ASSIGNMENTS: The student must prepare a ten page
outline of his tutorial paper for peer review, and then write a 30 page paper
in the case of 600 level students, and 40 page paper for 700-800 level
students, incorporating the insights gained from the tutorial.
PREREQUISITES: To register for this course, a
student must be enrolled in the Doctor of Missiology or Doctor of Philosophy
programs. Th.M. students may enroll with the written permission of instructor.
RELATION TO THE
CURRICULUM: This eight-unit course is taken in lieu of an eight-unit tutorial.
FINAL EXAM: None.
GRADING: Papers will be
graded on a pass or fail basis.
Last Date Edited: December 14, 2004