EM418 - Ministry in A Culturally Diverse Context

  • 0 Standard Tuition Fee
  • 4
    Credit Points
  • 0.125 EFT 
  • 7
    AQF level
  • evangelism missiolUnit Discipline

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

  1. Biblical, theological, historical, cultural and strategic perspectives on cultural diversity
  2. The cultural context of contemporary Australia
  3. Christian ministry in culturally diverse contexts

B. Be able to

  1. Apply biblical and theological perspectives to culturally diverse ministry settings
  2. Analyse Christian ministry in culturally diverse contexts
  3. Under supervision, engage with a culturally diverse ministry setting by participant-observation
  4. Present an Analytical perspective on ministry in a culturally diverse context

C. Be in a position to

  1. Integrate perspectives from their other theological studies into ministry in culturally diverse contexts
  2. Use perspectives from ministry in culturally diverse contexts for personal understanding and in ministry settings
  3. Apply perspectives from ministry in culturally diverse contexts  to current issues in ministry in culturally diverse environments

Content

Section A: Principles

  1. Culture and ethnicity, unity and division, and individuality and community in the Bible; in particular within the context of New Testament teaching on evangelism and the body of Christ.
  2. Theological perspectives: Trinitarian implications for ministry in a culturally diverse context, theology of such ministry in the context of diversity, church and culture in the New Testament.
  3. Australia: immigration and refugees; ethnic communities; history and directions of government policy.
  4. Models of ministry in a context of cultural diversity; relevant biblical and modern examples, including multi-congregational, mono-ethnic and culturally diverse churches; homogeneous unit and other church growth principles; relational, leadership, learning style, worship preference, language, areas of tension and conflict, and other cultural variables.
  5. An introduction to the concept of cultural distance and its implications for the structure and ministry of a local church; case studies of different models being used by churches seeking to overcome cultural distance.
  6. Strategies and resources for making the transition to a local church model that reflects the demographic realities of the locality; research, design, implementation and evaluation.

Section B: Practice

Candidates are for a minimum of 20 hours to:

  1. Participate in either a culturally diverse congregation or mono-cultural congregation of a culture other than the student’s own; and
  2. With the help of members of that church, observe non church attending people of that culture in their social and family contexts.

Discern the challenges with regard to cultural variables, such as leadership patterns and processes, learning style and worship preferences. Consider possible strategies for the future ministry of the congregation.

Set Readings

Prescribed:

Anderson, D., Multicultural Ministry: Finding Your Church’s Unique Rhythm (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004).

Brynjolfson, R., and J. Lewis (eds), Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church (Waynesboro, GA: World Evangelical Alliance Missions Commission, 2004).

DeYmaz, M., Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church: Mandate, Commitments, and Practices of a Diverse Congregation (Jossey-Bass, 2007).

Kramer, L. J., The Multicultural Experiment: Immigrants, Refugees and National Identity (Sydney: Macleay, 2003).

Ortiz, M., Models for Developing a Multiethnic Church (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996).

Richmond, H. (ed.), Snapshots of Multicultural Ministry (UCA Assembly Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry, 2006).

Richmond, H. and Myung Duk Yang (eds), Crossing Borders: Shaping Faith, Ministry and Identity in Multicultural Australia (UCA Assembly and NSW Board of Mission, 2006).

Wilson, M., Churches Crossing Cultures: A Practical Guide and Workbook for Cross Cultural Ministry in Your Church (Anglicare, 2002).

Yancey, G., One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2003).

 

Recommended:

Docker, J. and G. Fischer, Race, Colour and Identity in Australia and New Zealand (Sydney: UNSW, 2000).

Foster, C., Embracing Diversity: Leadership in Multicultural Congregations (Bethesda, MD: Alban, 1997).

Jupp, J., From White Australia to Woomera: The Story of Australian Immigration (Cambridge: CUP, 2003).

Robinson, S. P., C. Smith and M. K. Wilson, Mission Action Planning (Anglicare, 2004).