PMN 561 01 BIBLICAL/CONTEMPORARY DYNAMICS OF CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

Tentative Course Instruction Plans

Fall 2007

Cincinnati Bible Seminary

Dr. David W. Wead, Instructor

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND GOALS

Purpose: The student will be called to examine the dynamics of early church life in the Book of Acts seeking principles that can be applied to the development of a healthy church in the 21st century.

Goals

  1. Gain new practical biblical insights into the efforts of Jesus’ apostles as their activities led those following the Christ from being a sect within Judaism to the powerful movement that we call Christianity.
  1. Seek to determine which principles can be applied to the work of the church in the 21st century to achieve a form of discipleship and church growth pleasing to God.
  1. Understand how the church met obstacles and how they used these times of uncertainty as a springboard for development and change.

CURRICULUM DATA

  1. Course Rationale

The first century church kindled the fires of evangelism and mission through the Mediterranean world. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the simple plea of New Testament Christianity spread across the American frontier and through society. Why did those two movements grow? How can we experience continued growth in this new century?

In recent years a vast body of materials and methods has been developed under the general topic of “church growth”. Much of this material has focused on principles and methods which are currently working in some fast growing churches. Frequently these are based on “pragmatism” (what works). Later the leader may seek to justify his methods from the Bible.

  1. Course Description

PMN 561 01 is designed so the student will first understand the biblical principles that produced the dynamic growth in the first century as seen in the Book of Acts. Then, from this understanding he/she should be able to work toward the growth of the church as a biblical commitment and to make an intelligent contribution to the spiritual health of the local congregation.

  1. Instruction

The primary instructor will be Dr. David W. Wead, pastor/teacher within the ChristianChurches and Churches of Christ for the past 45 years. Dr. Wead has degrees from MinnesotaBibleCollege, Fuller Theological Seminary and the D. Theol. from BaselUniversity in Switzerland. In addition to teaching at MinnesotaBibleCollege, JohnsonBibleCollege, Emmanuel School of Religion and WilliamsonChristianCollege, he has pastored churches in Minnesota, California, and Tennessee.

  1. This course may be taken as a non-thesis option course. Persons desiring to do so should discuss this with the instructor within the first two days of the course.
  1. Dates and Times (times may be adjusted as agreed upon in the first meeting)

September 6 and 7 10:00 a. m. ending at a time to be determined

November 1 and 2 10:00 a. m. ending at a time to be determined

December 6 and 7 10:00 a. m. ending at a time to be determined

OVERVIEW OF PMN 561 01

  1. To use the Book of Acts to bring the church back to basics and simplicity of design as revealed in Acts. The dynamics of Acts will be examined, show they can guide church development and bring a church to health in our culture.
  1. Some basic practical topics will include: The priority of the Holy Spirit, the role of culture, essence of worship, preaching and doctrine, fellowship, prayer and the devotional life, evangelism, the philosophy of world mission, stewardship, leadership and growth in diverse circumstances.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Gorman, Julie A., Community that is Christian, A Handbook on Small Groups, Second Edition, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002. ISBN 0-8010-9145-4

Russell, Bob, When God Builds a Church, 10 Principles for Growing a DynamicChurch, Howard Books, New York, 2000. ISBN 978-1-58229-125-3

Stott, John, The Message of Acts, Second Edition, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, ILL, 1994. ISBN 0-8308-1236-9 (Note to Students: I can see no difference between this second edition and the first edition, published by John Stott as The Spirit, the Church and the World. If you have the latter, it is very acceptable.)

IMPLEMENTATION OF COURSE GOALS

  1. Class time will usually consist of an exegetical examination of a section of the Book of Acts followed by an appropriate exploration of individual practical topics as they relate to the text of Acts and the history of the early church.
  1. Each student is to have read the assigned reading and to have produced written responses to the assigned study questions (attached) prior to coming to the class session. He/she is to bring to class two copies of the type written answers to the study questions, one to be given to the professor at the beginning of the class and the second from which he/she will enter into class discussion and take notes.
  1. Each student will be expected to enter into class discussion.
  1. As much of the learning will take place in class presentations and discussions, students will be expected to be in class. If absence is absolutely necessary, students will be given extra assignments. Absences may affect the final grade of the course.
  1. If you are unclear about any aspect of the course, Dr. Wead may be reached via email () or by phone (615 355 5526).

ASSIGNMENTS

For Sept. 6 – 7

  1. Study and become thoroughly acquainted with Acts 1 – 7 as these chapters will be the basis of discussion.
  1. Read John Stott, The Message of Acts, pp. 1-143 (Acts 1-7) and give written answers to the following study questions:
  1. Page 408, questions 3, 11, 14 and 16
  2. Page 409, questions 1 and 21.
  3. Page 410, questions 22, 27, 28, 7 and 8.
  4. Page 411, questions 14, 15, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 33.
  5. Page 412, questions 5, 15 and 19.
  6. Page 413, questions 14 and 18.
  7. Page 414, questions 22, and 23.
  1. Read, Gorman, Community that is Christian, pp. 9-75 and give written answers to the following study questions.
  1. Read Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Third Edition, “Acts: The Question of Historical Precedent”, pp. 107-125 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.
  1. Read Russell, When God Builds a Church, pp. 1-72 and 195-228 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.

For Nov. 1 – 2

  1. Study and become thoroughly acquainted with Acts 8-14 as these chapters will be the basis of discussion.
  1. Read John Stott, The Message of Acts, pp. 144-239 (Acts 8-14) and give written responses to the assigned study questions:
  1. Page 415, questions 2 and 12.
  2. Page 416, questions 17, 1, 4, and 10.
  3. Page 417,questions 5 and 6.
  4. Page 418, questions 9, 10 and 6.
  5. Page 419, questions 3, 11, and 12.
  6. Page 420, questions 16, 20, and 23.
  1. Read Gorman, Community that is Christian, pp. 79-108 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.
  1. Read Russell, When God Builds a Church, pp. 73-146 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.

For Dec. 6 – 7

  1. Study and become thoroughly acquainted with Acts 15-21:18 as these chapters will be the basis of discussion.
  1. Read John Stott, The Message of Acts, pp. 240-333 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.
  1. Page 420, questions 3 and 4.
  2. Page 421, questions 5 and 11.
  3. Page 422, questions 7 (under Study 14 ), 10 and 12.
  4. Page 423, questions 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 15.
  5. Page 424, questions 4, 6, 8, and 13.
  1. Read Gorman, Community that is Christ, pp. 205-244 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.
  1. Read Russell, When God Builds a Church, pp. 147-194 and 229-274 and give written responses to the assigned study questions.
  1. Read Wead, D., “The Centripetal Philosophy of Mission”, as supplied in this syllabus and give written responses to the assigned study questions. (Found in Gasque & LaSor, Scripture, Tradition and Interpretation, pp. 176-186)

STUDENT EVALUATION

Students in this course will be evaluated according to the College’s standard grading system. The criteria for determining that grade will be as follows:

  1. (40%) Completion of the written assignments and the ability to discuss them in class.
  1. (40 %) Completion of the Take Home Final Examination. The topics for these three essay questions will be given to the student at the first class meeting. They are to be in the hands of the professor by Dec. 20, two weeks after the final class meeting.
  1. (20%) Quality of comments, insights and extent of learning and experience demonstrated in class discussion.

PMN 561 01 STUDY QUESTIONS

From Russell, When God Builds a Church

For Sept. 6-7

Pp. 1-11

  1. Why does Russell admonish us to look for principles and how to apply them rather than merely methods?

Pp. 12-37 “Truth”

  1. What are the three parts of good preaching and teaching?

Pp. 38-71 “Worship”

  1. What three questions does Russell say we must ask about worship? Add another question to this list and tell why you believe it is important.
  1. What are the two ingredients Russell says must be part of worship?
  1. What are four legitimate expectations a person should expect from worship?
  1. What is the relationship between music and worship?

Pp. 194-227 “Fellowship”

  1. What are the three circles of fellowship? What is the importance of each?
  1. How does a church create an atmosphere and activities that produce fellowship?

For Nov. 1-2

Pp., 72-105 “Leadership”

  1. What is the role of character in leadership? Why is this especially important for the Christian?
  1. What is Boyles law?: How does it affect leadership structure as a church grows?
  1. What suggestions does Russell make to ensure that leaders develop spiritually?

Pp. 106-125 “Excellence”

  1. How do you set a standard that allows you to evaluate quality as excellence?

Pp. 126-145 “Faith”

  1. Why is faith vital for an adequate vision?
  1. How do we produce a vision statement? How is vision a role of leadership?
  1. Contrast a mission statement from a vision statement.

For Dec. 6-7

Pp. 146-171 “Harmony”

  1. What are the threats to harmony?
  1. What principles should govern the relationship between staff and the eldership?

Pp. 173- 193 “Participation”

  1. Why should every member have a ministry? How does your church work toward this ideal?
  1. What factors encourage people to volunteer?

Pp. 228-248 “Stewardship”

  1. What five reasons does Russell list for preaching on stewardship?
  1. What are the elements of a capital stewardship campaign?
  1. What is the relationship between stewardship and worship?

Pp. 249-274 “Evangelism”

  1. What different approaches does Russell say a church may take toward evangelism? Which do you advocate?
  1. How do you encourage your congregation to evangelism?
  1. If you have a “What We Believe” class, what are the main topics that you cover during this course? How long is it?

Pp. 275-288 “Your Church and the Ten Principles”

  1. Which recommendation that Russell makes do you consider to be most effective? Why?

From Julie Gorman, Community that is Christian

For Sept. 6-7

Pp. 9-19 “Close Encounters of the Human Kind”

  1. In Community as Counterculture, what elements work against true community and fellowship?
  1. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the creation of community?
  1. Read carefully the “Conceptual Design” as it tells you what the author intends to accomplish in the remainder of the book and how the chapters fit together.

Pp.23-41 “Biblical Foundations for Community”

  1. How does the triune image of God reflect community?
  1. Define “covenant”.
  1. Define “community”. How does it relate to fellowship?

Pp.42-59 “Challenges to Community”

  1. Define “individualism”. Express in your own words the effect of extreme individualism on community.
  1. What is “rights language”? How does it affect our moral decisions?
  1. How does Gorman see Barton W. Stone? What effect does his individualism have upon our doctrine of the church?

Pp. 60-75 “The Today Show”

  1. Gorman says that community has changed from earlier times. She discusses four areas in which these changes are significant. What are they? Characterize the changes in each.
  1. Page 75 contains a list of “Boomer Values”. Express in your own words what you believe might be the individual effect of each of these values.

For Nov. 6-7

Pp. 79-91 “The Real Thing”

  1. What are the requirements for true community?
  1. What are the natural hindrances to true community? What kind of sacrifice is necessary for the formation of true community?

Pp. 92-108 “And Now for a Change”

  1. What is the purpose of small groups?
  1. What elements must be present to develop an expectation of change among group members?

For Dec. 1-2

Pp. 205-226 “Leadership Power”

  1. What three leadership styles did Lewin define? How did Stogdill modify these?
  1. How does the New Testament restructure the role of a leader?
  1. What elements are part of the concept of leadership we gain from the New Testament?

Pp. 227-242 “Transforming the Church”

  1. What disciplines does the church need to embrace to make a small group ministry effective?

From Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Third Edition, “Acts: The Question of Historical Precedent”, pp. 107-125

  1. What do the authors mean by historical precedent? How can it become a norm for the life of the church?
  1. Into what three categories do doctrinal statements derived from Scripture fall? Which category is most prevalent in Acts?
  1. What principle do the authors define related to the hermeneutics of an historical narrative?
  1. What are the three suggestions related to the hermeneutics of biblical precedent?

From Wead, “The Centripetal Philosophy of Mission” as found with the Student Syllabus

  1. How does the “centripetal philosophy of mission” differ from the “centrifugal philosophy”?

2. In what ways do we experience the benefits of the centripetal philosophy today?