EM618 - Ministry in A Culturally Diverse Context
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0 Standard Tuition Fee
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4Credit Points
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0.125 EFT
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8AQF level
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evangelism missiolUnit Discipline
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students willA. Know and understand
- Biblical, theological, historical, cultural and strategic perspectives on cultural diversity.
- The cultural context of contemporary Australia.
- Christian ministry in culturally diverse contexts.
- Selected approaches to ministry in culturally diverse contexts.
B. Be able to
- Apply biblical and theological perspectives to culturally diverse ministry settings.
- Analyse Christian ministry in culturally diverse contexts.
- Under supervision, engage with a culturally diverse ministry setting by participant-observation.
- Present a Critical perspective on ministry in a culturally diverse context.
- Evaluate selected approaches to ministry in culturally diverse contexts.
C. Be in a position to
- Integrate perspectives from their other theological studies into ministry in culturally diverse contexts.
- Use perspectives from ministry in culturally diverse contexts for personal understanding and in ministry settings.
- Apply perspectives from ministry in culturally diverse contexts to current issues in ministry in culturally diverse environments.
Content
Section A: Principles
- 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.
- 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.
- Assimilation, integration and multiculturalism in Australia: immigration and refugees; ethnic communities; history and directions of government policies with awareness of the limitations of these and their impacts on church life.
- 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.
- Review of the issues relating to 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.
- 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:
- Participate in either a culturally diverse congregation or mono-cultural congregation of a culture other than the student’s own; and
- 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).
DeYoung, C. P., G. Yancey, et al, United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race (OUP, 2004).
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).
Keneally, T. and R. Scott (eds), Another Country (Halstead, 2005).
Kramer, L. J., The Multicultural Experiment: Immigrants, Refugees and National Identity (Sydney: Macleay, 2003).
Rhodes, S., Where the Nations Meet: The Church in a Multicultural World (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1998).
Richmond, H (ed.), Snapshots of Multicultural Ministry (UCA Assembly Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Ministry, 2006).
Richmond, H. and M. D. 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
Jupp, J., The Challenge of Diversity, (Canberra: AGPS-Office of Multicultural Affairs, 1989).
Jupp, J., From White Australia to Woomera: the Story of Australian Immigration (Cambridge: CUP, 2003).
Multicultural Australia: United in Diversity (Canberra: Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, 2003).
New Agenda for Multicultural Australia (Canberra: Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, 1999).
Robinson, S. P., C. Smith and M. K. Wilson, Mission Action Planning (Anglicare, 2004).