Church and Ministry Courses Fall 2009

CHM503 — Spiritual Disciplines Seminar: Prayer

This seminar provides an opportunity for the student to develop the spiritual discipline of prayer. Through guided group prayer experiences, personal prayer, and directed readings, each student will explore various approaches to prayer with the goal of developing and practicing a personal rule of prayer.
Instructor: Marlene Kropf   Course category: Spirituality

CHM521 — Luke-Acts: Mission Perspectives

This reading of Luke-Acts pays attention to the unity of the two books as well as to their significance for the mission of the contemporary church. Work with the text includes discussion of various aspects of mission, such as preaching, teaching, and healing; resolution of community problems; and prayer.
Instructor: Daniel Schipani   Course category: Mission, Evangelism, and Intercultural Studies

CHM531 — Human Development and Christian Formation

This foundational course focuses on (1) understanding human development and spiritual formation in an interdisciplinary perspective; (2) exploring the role of spiritual disciplines in fostering spiritual growth; (3) reflecting theologically on spiritual formation and human development; and (4) considering the implications of spiritual formation and human development for oneself and for one’s ministry with others.
Instructor: Marlene Kropf and Andy Brubacher Kaethler   Course category: Pastoral Care and Counseling

CHM532 — Principles of Pastoral Care

This course begins with a biblical and historical survey of pastoral care. It explores theory and practice and encourages students to develop their own theological understandings of this field and a model of pastoral care for their own congregations. Pastoral care is considered in various circumstances and contexts. Attention is paid to communication and listening skills, interpersonal relationships, helping relationships, and interventions that facilitate healing and growth.
Instructor: Daniel Schipani   Course category: Pastoral Care and Counseling

CHM542 — Education for Peace and Justice

This course focuses on the theory and practice of education for peace and justice as a major dimension of ministry and mission. Such contemporary challenges as materialism and poverty, violence, racism, and sexism will be addressed in terms of opportunities for congregational discipling in different settings. A number of pedagogical approaches will be presented. Students’ involvement in education and peace and justice ministries is expected
Instructor: Daniel Schipani   Course category: Pastoral Care and Counseling

CHM558 — Intercultural Communication of the Christian Faith

This course helps participants develop competencies for communicating the Christian faith where cultural variables are present. It gives attention to the theology and processes of intercultural communication and to developing the strategies and skills needed for adapting and adjusting to achieve positive communication results.
Instructor: TBA   Course category: Mission, Evangelism, and Intercultural Studies

CHM563 — Art in Worship

Students in this course will learn how the arts can help the congregation worship. They will hone their skills in using biblical texts to develop ideas for using art in worship. A primary outcome of the course is a distillation of principles for using art in worship..
Instructor: Rebecca Slough   Course category: Arts and the Church

CHM565 — Ensemble

The Ensemble is open to any person related to the seminary community who wishes to increase his or her skill and enjoyment of group singing. Regular attendance at Ensemble rehearsals is expected along with openness to sing a wide variety of musical styles.
Instructor: Rebecca Slough   Course category: Arts and the Church

CHM581 — Missional Church: Theology and Practice

With special focus on the mission and kingdom of God, this course reviews the history and biblical-theological premises of the missional church vision and shows why it is an apposite one for Anabaptists. In addition, the course explores what it means for churches to be missional in thinking and practice, and it considers the outlook, skills, and practices church leaders need to use to cultivate and nurture a missional ethos.
Instructor: David Miller   Course category: Mission, Evangelism, and Intercultural Studies

CHM641 — Supervised Practicum in Youth Ministry

This supervised experience-based learning occurs in a youth ministry assignment involving 400 hours of work and reflection. The focus will be on developing skills for youth ministry while reflecting theologically on one’s pastoral identity and interventions. Attention will also be given to refining and integrating one’s theology of youth ministry. Students and supervisors will refer to the Youth Ministry Practicum Handbook. Prerequisites: two of Principles of Youth Ministry, Faith Formation and Spirituality of Youth and Young Adults, or Pastoral Care of Youth and Young Adults. Additionally for MDiv students, Ministry in Church and World is a prerequisite.
Instructor: Andy Brubacher Kaethler   Course category: Youth Ministry

CHM682 — Teaching Practicum

Congregational settings, such as Sunday school, youth programs, and Bible studies, as well as institutional settings, such as a Christian school or the Goshen College Department of Bible and Religion will be used as the context for supervised teaching ministries. In supervised sessions, teaching experiences will be evaluated by the learners, supervisors, and seminary peers. Hermeneutical, pedagogical, and other issues arising from individual learning objectives or emerging in the actual teaching experiences will be discussed. Prerequisite: Christian Formation in the Congregation, or another teaching ministry course.
Instructor: Daniel Schipani   Course category: The Teaching Ministry of the Church

CHM684 — Pastoral Counseling Practicum: Advanced Theory & Practice

This practicum provides opportunity for the practice of pastoral counseling under supervision and to further connect theory with experience. Students engage in the ministry of counseling by drawing on insights from the field of psychotherapy as they relate to pastoral care and by giving special attention to the unique resources of the gospel and the church for guidance, support, and healing. Theory and practice are integrated through focusing on particular problems, such as crises, loss, and abuse, and by learning specific counseling methods. Prerequisites: Human Development and Christian Formation; Principles of Pastoral Care; Religious and Psychological Assessment; and Pastoral Counseling and Theology.
Instructor: Daniel Schipani   Course category: Pastoral Care and Counseling

CHM685 — Mission/Evangelism Practicum

This practicum may be carried out in a congregational setting in North America or abroad. Students will be under the supervision of the director of the Mission Studies Center or mission professor and of a senior colleague on site. A reflective journal will be shared with both the Elkhart and field supervisors. Students will be responsible to give to and receive counsel from leaders in churches where they are serving.
Instructor: Walter Sawatsky   Course category: Mission, Evangelism, and Intercultural Studies

CHM687 — Ministry in Church and World

This is a two-semester internship in the middler year of study. Its purpose is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their ministerial identities and to refine their ministering skills in the context of the Christian congregation or community ministry. Students will spend eight to ten hours per week in active ministry, leading worship, preaching, teaching, evangelizing, and providing pastoral care in the congregation, or in activities of the ministry agency in which they work. They will be supervised in the congregation or at the ministry site, by a campus-based peer group and by a faculty supervisor.
Instructors: David Miller   Course category: Supervised Experience

CHM689 — Supervised Ministry Experience

This program provides opportunity for a supervised internship in a congregational or other ministry setting. In the ministry context, the student will explore and develop the range of his or her ministering skills and gifts. The period of time will normally be an intensive three-month summer or an extended seven or eight months, with the option of an entire calendar year. Students will spend approximately 400 hours in this internship. Ministry in Church and World is strongly recommended as a prerequisite.
Instructors: David Miller   Course category: Supervised Experience

CHM690 — Worship Practicum

This program provides opportunity for a supervised internship in a congregational or other ministry setting. In the ministry context, the student will explore and develop the range of his or her ministering skills and gifts. The period of time will normally be an intensive three-month summer or an extended seven or eight months, with the option of an entire calendar year. Students will spend approximately 400 hours in this internship. Ministry in Church and World is strongly recommended as a prerequisite.
Instructors: Rebecca Slough   Course category: Supervised Experience