The purpose of dialogue in this course is first and
foremost for you, the student, to test your
understanding of the assigned readings and lectures.
You can read the material, but the test of whether you
have some mastery of the concepts and their relevance is
the extent to which you can discuss and apply them.
If we met in class, we could discuss the topics
verbally. The dialogue forums are open for one week each and you should post at least once per question. Each post counts, so be
careful not to use a post a short reply to an instructor of another student. Use a reply post as a springboard to go deeper into the concepts and applications.
Dialogue etiquette requires that posts not be longer
than 250 words. One of the skills we want you to
gain in this program is to learn in a thorough, concise
manner. You are expected to use the discussions to show your understanding of, questions about, and application of the content of your reading. You could do this in several ways:
a) Answer all or
part of the discussion questions posed by the instructor, using one or more concepts in your reading.
b) Asking specific questions about some concepts in the readings or challenging statements in the material.
c)
Taking a position based on the concepts in the reading, and extrapolating from it. (Example: "If George says that the Metachurch is the church of the twenty-first century, it seems to me that the biggest
challenge of the established church today is…")
These are not exhaustive examples. Whatever form of dialogue will help your understanding and application of the material will be appropriate. If
you find yourself just "going through the motions" of dialogue to meet the requirement, we ask that you examine the reasons. Contact the professor and seek to gain a fresh perspective.
The professor will use a
combination of objective and subjective measures to determine the grade for the dialogue. Since dialogue represents in-class discussion, it is important that you enter the dialogue early and engage with other
students and the instructor on an on-going basis. It is important that you fully support your statements and opinions.
Dialogue grades for each week will be posted as a percentage of 100. No posts after
the closing date will be considered in the grade for any reason. Dialogue grading will look at:
- Quality
- Frequency/regularity
- Brevity (250 words or less)
Textbooks for this course tend to be more practical
than theoretical. While the reading load is
substantial, I think you will find it enjoyable. I
would expect to see evidence in your class
discussions that you have familiarized yourself with
the reading material.
Each of
the Dialogue questions below should be answered 250
words or less
Dialogue Questions:
Week 1: The Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the
Organized Church
What, in your view, is the purpose of the church? What
relationship, if any, should the organizational
structure of the church have to do with the church's
purpose?
What
is the difference between loving God and loving our
neighbor? Is it possible to apply this to a church or
organization?
What
role has tradition (denominational or otherwise) played
in church organizations?
Week 2: The Non-optionals of Church Ministry.
Are
there certain tasks that every church has an
obligation to fulfill? If so, what are they?
How
can a church's organizational structure help or hurt in
the fulfillment of its tasks?
How
can churches apply God's call for every church to
their particular unique situation?
Week 3: Organizing to Meet Needs
Give
a scriptural example of how God's people were organized
to more effectively meet specific needs. What does this
teach you about organization, conflict management,
and/or ministry?
If
you were commissioned to conduct a ministry needs survey
for your church, how would you go about it? What areas
or arenas of need would you research?
What
are some examples in your church or your experience of
successful ministry that started as a response to a
need? What made it successful?
Week 4: Managing Staff and Volunteers
The
church is largely an organization of volunteers. How
should a church go about identifying and enlisting the
right volunteers for the right roles?
Give
an example of what Rick Warren refers to as "staffing on
purpose." How can churches develop their ministry staff
based on their purpose? How can more traditional
structures transition to a purpose-driven structure?
How
has the task of persuading, encouraging, and motivating
changed over the last twenty years? How is it the same?
Week 5: Organizational Challenges
What, in your view, has to happen in order to move
someone from the "crowd" to the "core" of your church?
(See Warren, pp. 309-392) What are some hindrances to
the process?
Is
there such a thing as healthy conflict? If so, what is
the difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict?
How
did the early church respond to its massive early
growth? How did they "get a handle" on ministry to the
needs of so many new believers?
Week 6: Putting it All Together: Building an Organizational
Model
No new
questions. Complete previous week's dialogue.
Comparative Denominational Research Project on
Organizational Structure
Conduct
a survey of three different congregations from three
different denominational perspectives. Include the
church you attend. Compare the organizational
structures of the three, with the following questions in
mind:
a. How
large is the congregation, and how does its size affect
its organization?
b. Where does decision-making and leadership authority
rest in this congregation?
c. What terms does the church use to describe its lay
and staff leaders?
d. How does the church relate to the denomination, or
lack thereof, to which it belongs?
e. How would you characterize the church in terms of
growth vs. decline? Assess it both numerically and
qualitatively.
f. What strategies does the church have for enlisting,
training, and organizing the efforts of volunteers to
accomplish its task?
g. What is your assessment of the strengths and
weaknesses of each church's organizational structure?
Write a
report and analysis three to four single-spaced or four
to eight double-spaced pages in length that details your
findings. This assignment is due on Friday of Week 2.
Conduct a personal study of the Book of Acts with a view
toward how the organizational life of the early church
evolved and developed. Consider the following:
a. How
did the church logistically fulfill the Acts 1:8 version
of the Great Commission?
b. How did church leaders respond to massive growth?
c. How did the church respond to conflict?
d. What roles and/or offices seem to be in place by the
time the book closes?
e. What problems and challenges faced the church as it
made the transition from a Jewish-focused ministry to a
ministry to the Gentiles?
f. What individual, small-group, large-group, and
outreach strategies and organizations are evident?
Write a 4-6 page single-spaced (8-12 page double-spaced)
summary of your findings. Make sure to clearly note any
verse references. This assignment is due on Friday of
Week 4.
Model Paper
Design
and diagram your idea of the ideal organizational
structure for a local nondenominational church of 500
members (325 households), including both volunteers and
paid staff. Include in your description some evidence
of familiarity with course reading materials and
discussions. Use whatever technological (i.e.,
software) means are at your disposal and design a visual
diagram to illustrate your ideas. Explain the
advantages of your approach and how such an organization
will help the church fulfill its mission. This
assignment is due on Friday of Week 6. Papers will be
evaluated on writing quality, expression of ideas,
support of ideas, and familiarity with Biblical and
contemporary models of organization.
