Course Category Archives: Practical Ministry

The Gospel in an Oral Context helps students to understand address the 75% of the world who prefer oral communication rather than written. Oral preference affects Gospel communication and training of disciples of every age, culture, language or education level. Learn about communication of the Good News in our multicultural world by increasing understanding of orality, the neuroscience of story, different cultural modes of storytelling, and ways the Bible speaks to different cultures. Assigned readings, testimonies and A/V material about how the Bible deals with other cultures and how we can use those examples to empathize and share the gospel with others will help inform and motivate students to become practically equipped for outreach.

• Time: Tuesday, 6:00-9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor:Anne Alexander

How should a person prepare to launch as a missionary? How can a newly-landed missionary become not only successful in ministry but also healthy and happy? After time on the field, how may a seasoned field worker leaving the field prepare for a good farewell/handoff as well as healthy re-adjustment? This 3-credit course will introduce considerations, challenges and disciplines to empower adventurers in missions toward God-glorifying lives.

• Time: Tuesday, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Anne Alexander

This class will seek to explain the key doctrines of orthodox and folk Islam, comparing and contrasting Islamic teaching with Christian beliefs. We outline the historical development of Islam, including militant fundamentalism, and identify areas of Christian ministry to Muslims both locally and globally. Students taking the course for 3 credits will have additional projects to complete.

• Time: Monday, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Mike McQueen

The creative arts (music, visual arts & poetry) can enhance and broaden our personal worship of God, the original creator. In this class we will explore ways that the arts can be a whole-person participation in expanding our relationship with Him, while also learning to help others worship God.

• Time: Wednesday, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  Credit: 1 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Judy Webb

A Biblical and practical analysis of what it means to share Jesus in a world that is increasing hostile to Christianity. We will look at motivations, barriers, and fear factors in communicating the Good News. The relationship between discipleship and evangelism, the differences between witness and evangelism, and dealing with the power of the Bible and prayer will be explored. Models of presentations will be considered, and there will be opportunities to try them out.

This class will run Mondays and Wednesdays in June.

• Time: Monday and Wednesday, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
  Credit: 2 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Mike McQueen

Join us in exploring the spirituality of the native Christian faith of the British Isles. The course gives special attention to the forms, content, and emphases of Celtic Christian prayer and how these can be applied today. Theological themes include God as Trinity; the goodness, grace, and presence of God in creation; and a theology of place and journeying. Get acquainted with Patrick, Brigid, Columba, Iona, Aidan, Brendan, Columbanus, Lindisfarne, Anamchara (soul friend), the Book of Kells, Carmina Gadelica, and more. We will explore how Celtic Christian theological, ascetical, and devotional themes are expressed in Celtic spiritual practices, poems, hymns, literature, artwork, and symbols. We also examine contemporary appropriation of early Celtic themes in the imaginative literature of George MacDonald, church work of George MacLeod, and current revival of interest among Christians in all things Celtic.

• Time: Tuesday, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
  Credit: 2 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Peter Spychalla

Sharing the good news of Jesus is challenging in today’s pluralistic and contentious ​world. This experiential class will empower you to convey love and empathy through non-anxious listening and respectful, appropriate questions, resulting in true reconciliation and sturdy friendship bridges. ​Topics include: biblical reasons for sharing Jesus, communication barriers, warmth, empathy, respect, bringing the Bible into conversations, interacting with other ​cultures (locally and overseas), increasing missional intelligence, rebuilding burned bridges and more.

For more information, please see Dr. Alexander’s blog post about the course.

• Time: Tuesday, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Anne Alexander

A study of historical and practical approaches to Christian spiritual discernment for personal and group decision-making. Consideration of the definition, aim, models, and practices for discernment from the broad Christian tradition. Exploration of factors bearing on discernment including Scripture, theology, tradition, community, science, nature, experience, personal history, memory, reason, intuition, imagination, physical body, desires, spiritual affections, virtue, and spiritual practices. Special attention to holistic, integrative discernment approaches, Ignatian discernment, desire, community, and questions of vocational integrity.

For more information, please see Dr. Spychalla’s blog post about the course.

Class session dates: June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 5, 19, 26; Aug 2 (no class July 12)

• Time: Monday, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
  Credit: 2 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Peter Spychalla

This class is intended to coincide with the 2020 Presidential Election. The course will enable the student to understand biblical foundations of government and better understand historic and cultural trends in 21st century American society upon government. The purpose is to help the individual to make informed decisions concerning election year issues and create an environment for positive Christian witness. Attention will be given to the social processes that have shaped our culture, the relationship between the Church (and individuals) and the State, and the Church’s prophetic call to bring about reconciliation and transformation.

Click “Read more” for more information about this course.

• Time: Monday, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Mike McQueen

Expressing God’s love well is a learned skill. We’re told that to understand others’ lives and truly convey love to them, we should walk a mile in their shoes. How can we “do unto others as we would have them do unto us” in our increasingly multicultural world? We’ll gain insight as we read about missionary lives, watch films about other cultures, explore the lives of those who have experienced them, and discuss the challenges of living ‘on mission’ wherever God takes us. This class will be stretching and fun!

Click “Read more” for more information about this course.

• Time: Tuesday, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Credit: 3 hours
  Location: Online
  Instructor: Anne Alexander