Category: Religious studies

Week 2

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Welcome to Week 2. This week you will explore the core of your ministry values. These are the values that drive your ministry philosophy and determine creative ways to avoid a “come and see” mentality as opposed to going and making disciples. You must understand why you do what you do or rather don’t do before you can attempt what you believe you should do.
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 2
• Prepare
To prepare for this week’s learning, read/watch the items below:
• Read Chapters 12 & 13 in your textbook.
• View Alan Hirsch’s video: Essential Element to a Missional Movement
• Read John Stark’s article: The Incarnation is about a Person, not a Mission
• Read Aubrey Malphur’s article: How to Discover and Develop Core Values
•
• To prepare for this week’s learning, read/watch the items below:
• Read Chapters 12 & 13 in your textbook.
• View Alan Hirsch’s video: Essential Element to a Missional Movement
• Read John Stark’s article: The Incarnation is about a Person, not a Mission
• Read Aubrey Malphur’s article: How to Discover and Develop Core Values
•
WK2 Devotional

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
Acts 8:1-4
In last week’s devotional we looked at Paul as a missionary and his having a very missional intent for his life and ministry. Note in this week’s passage that Paul was even used by God before his conversion to scatter an inward focused church. This passage is more important than first realized as pastors often look to other passages in Acts for a model of a growing church evidenced by daily conversions, baptisms, and miraculous growth. The reality is, this vibrant church would not have existed if the first believers had not been forced to scatter by Paul the “Great Persecutor”. This is also evidenced currently by the growing underground church throughout Asia.
Even from its very inception, the church has been resistant to going and fulfilling her missional purpose. Jesus said Himself in the Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19, NASV). Apostolic ministry consists as a sending and going, not a come and see approach. Why can’t we as the Church ever see that attraction evangelism is a flawed and unbiblical way of thinking?
WK2 Missional – Incarnation Church Discussion

Objective 2: Examine what it means to be a Missional/Incarnational Church
The biblical New Testament Church is made up of the called out ones: called out with the intent and purpose of representing Christ as His living witness in the world (Act 1:8). Believers are Christ’s hands, His arms, His voice, and His presence in lost humanity. We as the Church and as believers, are to be Missional and Incarnational.
• Review Chapter 12 and 13 of your textbook by Stetzer (2006).
• Follow this link and read the article by John Stark (2011) who argues there must be a distinction between the incarnational nature of the Person of Christ and the incarnational nature of the mission of Christ, and how we must be careful how the word incarnational is considered.https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-incarnation-is-about-a-person-not-a-mission
• In your initial post, present an argument defended by biblical precedence, experience, and reading that describes what it means to have a Missional/Incarnational church. Ensure the following points are addressed in your discussion:
o Define missional/incarnational ministry (including cautions as to how we use the term incarnational)
o Describe three positive characteristics of missional/incarnational ministry for a church plant or existing church and how they could be the key to growing a ministry.
o Describe any concern you may have about the missional/incarnational ministry approach
WK2 Monument vs Movement Response

Instructions
Objective 1: Determine the difference between a monument and a movement.
Walking the streets in most cities you will likely pass beautiful stone cathedrals built years ago to honor God as a house of worship. Stepping inside you would see the interior trimmed in ornate wood-carving, velvet cushions, and stained glass windows. Continuing your walk about town, you would see city monuments or ornate gravestones. Both churches and monuments are memorials to the past; but God’s church was never intended to be confused with monuments and memorials. His church consists of people who are called out as a living active movement.
History has a way of repeating itself no matter how hard we try not to repeat it. From the beginning the church has been no different. The pattern looks something like this: a real Jesus Movement, organization, institutionalization, plateau, and death. Consider the following:
Movements are always birthed out of monuments; they arise in a response to reaching the broken, hurting, and lost the institutional church is no longer reaching; conversion growth, baptism, exponential, true/simple discipleship are typically Spirit led by a lay movement rather than church leaders.
• Read Chapter 12 and 13 of your textbook by Stetzer (2006).
• Follow this link and view Alan Hirsch’s article/video: What are the Essentials to a Missional Movement? https://www.vergenetwork.org/2013/05/14/what-are-the-essentials-to-a-missional-movement-alan-hirsch/
• Present an argument defended by Biblical precedence, experience, and your reading in answering the question, “What is the difference between having a monument mindset versus a movement mindset?”
• Ensure the following points are addressed in your discussion from your reading and personal notes from the video.
o Describe the differing characteristics between having a monument mindset versus a movement mindset and its effect on growing a church?”
o Describe what happens when a ministry leader falls into the trap of being a maintenance minister versus a missional leader.
All written assignments should be formatted using APA.
WK2 Evangelistic Philosophy Response

Instructions
Objective 3: Examine the failings of the Attractional Evangelistic philosophy.
Many churches approach evangelism as an event at church that would appeal to unchurched to which the church members would invite them. The hope is they will like it there and want to come back, and maybe even find faith in Christ. However, this approach has not worked effectively for decades and is far from a biblical theology of evangelism.
Understanding our ministry philosophy shapes our methodology and practice. IN this learning activity you will be examining the failings of evangelistic/attractional philosophy and developing a biblical criteria for your own missional ministry philosophy.
Consider how many nations today would have an indigenous church if all the foreign missionaries had taken the foreign out and simply tried to attract the lost from their American homes without ever going? As a pastor or ministry leader, how are you going to personally model a “going” missional intent? How are you going to lead people to go and not succumb to an “attract and invite” mentality?
Before we can attempt to be missional, we must honestly confess, as the church, our comfortable reliance on attract and invite evangelism and surrender our man-made agendas. God’s call has never been anything but “go and make disciples.” Yet, doing church and maintaining the church seems to always replace being the church!
• Review Chapter 12 and 13 of your textbook by Stetzer (2006).
• Write a 1-2 page response using Scripture, class content, and your experience as you answer the following:
o Why can’t we as the Church ever see that attraction evangelism is a flawed and unbiblical way of thinking?
o How are you going to lead people to “go” and not succumb to an “attract and invite” mentality?
All written assignments should be formatted using APA.
WK2 Missional Leadership Paper

Instructions
Objective 4: Develop a Missional/Incarnational Leadership philosophy
John Maxwell has said, “Everything rises and falls because of leadership”. Examine and articulate the importance of developing a Missional/Incarnational leadership philosophy. Your ministry will be determined by it.
• Review Chapter 2 and 3 of your textbook by Stetzer (2006).
• Follow this link and read the article by Malphurs (2016) and complete the Core Values Audit. This audit will help you develop your missional/incarnational leadership philosophy: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200004/018_discover_core_values.cfm
• Write a 2-3 page paper after spending time in prayer and reflection on the reading from Stetzer (2006) and your core values audit. Include the following:
o List your top five values and explain in a few paragraphs what surprises you found about your top values in regard to whether they reflect an “attract and invite” evangelism mentality or a “go and disciple” evangelism mentality.
o In a couple of paragraphs, describe what you need to change about your philosophy of ministry which would better reflect the missional/incarnational values you hold so those who follow you will adopt and value the same approach to ministry.
o Develop a Missional/Incarnational Philosophy framework by using Malphur’s article addressing the importance of values 2 through 6 (begin with #2: Values dictate people’s personal involvement in the church); use each of his points as a heading and then explain why each one is important in carrying out your missional/incarnational values in your church or ministry.
o Provide at least two sources. Citations to the dictionary should be provided on top of the required two sources. The Bible is not to be listed in the References page, but does have to be cited in-text.
All written assignments should be formatted using APA.

Noah is the next outstanding character we encounter in Genesis after Adam and Eve. Noah is remembered for building the ark. What a phenomenal feat it was to build such a large vessel before automation and large engineering machinery. Beyond the magnitude of the task Noah accepted, beyond the miraculous arrival of the animals (New International Version Bible, 1973/2017, Genesis 6:19-20), was a feature of Noah’s life which was his faith. He believed God when God gave him the directions, and Noah followed through. His faith sustained him through the building process, which Hodge (2018) estimates at 75 years, in which he endured ridicule. The 120 years mentioned in Genesis 3:6-7 is the countdown to the flood. Think about it: Noah built an ark many miles from any water; it had never rained on the earth, and his community was scoffing at what he was doing.
You may not be aware, but up until Noah’s day, it had never rained on the earth. Rain was a new phenomenon. What incredible faith Noah demonstrated by persisting in building a giant floating vessel over the span of decades, anticipating water falling from the sky. God asked Noah to step out by faith and do something incredible and God fulfilled his promise to Noah and saved Noah and his family from the flood’s destruction. Noah’s God is the same God who Christians serve today, and He has asked you to step out in faith and return to school. You have obeyed and taken the first step. Just as God proved Himself faithful in Noah’s day, God proves Himself faithful to all who follow Him by faith today. The rain falling from the sky was a total change in thinking for Noah and his contemporaries; it would have been as incredible as water starting to shoot from trees today. God did amazing, incredible things, and He still does today. We may not see water shooting from trees, but if we are faithful, we will see the movement of God in our lives. So, keep on building your ark – whatever task God has given to you, because He is faithful and will be with you to the end.
Consider how God has demonstrated His faithfulness to you as you have pursued efforts through faith.
For Noah’s story see Genesis 6 (new tab). Review How Long Did It Take For Noah to Build the Ark (new tab)
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:
Recognize God’s call to step out by faith in action.
Instructions
Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
Read the devotional material.
Respond to the following prompt:
What is God asking you to do by faith? What is your “ark”?
Submit/Post by the end day of the workshop.
You are not required to respond to any posts.
https://answersingenesis.org/bible-timeline/how-long-did-it-take-for-noah-to-build-the-ark/
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+6&version=NIV

Themes in Church History Papers
Preparation of three 750-1000 word papers that track the development of one of the following
themes through history for the periods of c. 50 CE to c. 300 CE (first paper), 300 CE to 1000 CE
(second paper), 1000 CE to 1450 CE
(third paper).
• Church structure and organization
• Mission and outreach
• Relationship between church and state
• Role of women in the church
• Theological developments
• Worship and piety
With the permission of the instructor, you may select a different theme. You must keep the same
theme for all periods.
Within the word limit, each paper should narrate major events, movements, and figures from history
for that period. The course text and readings and class lectures will provide most of the information
you need to write an acceptable paper. Drawing on an additional secondary historical work in a way
that demonstrates serious engagement with that text will mark an outstanding paper. (NB: In other
7
words, you will probably need to find and read at least one chapter of a history that is not a text book
and found in Wesley’s library or online library resources.)
Please submit all papers double spaced in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1 inch margins.
Papers that do not meet or exceed the word limits will be marked down. Late papers will lose one
percentage point for each day late. Papers must include complete footnotes for all references and a
bibliography. Please use the Turabian footnote-bibliography style. Several universities have
published helpful guides to Turabian online, and the many libraries have printed copies of the
Turabian style guide. Proper citation of all sources is expected, so any quotation of three words in
length or greater must be footnoted
Primary reading
Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the
Reformation Revised and Updated (New York: Harper One, 2010)
Gonzalez, pp. 1-57
Gonzalez, pp. 58-96; chs. 7 – 9
Robert Louis Wilken, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them Second Ed. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 94-125.
Coakley, John W., and Andrea Sterk, eds. Readings in World Christian History. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2004 (RWCH)
Ignatius of Antioch
Irenaeus of Lyons
Gonzalez, pp. 149-192; chs. 14-17
Alister McGrath, Heresy: A History of Defending the Truth (New York: HarperOne, 2009), 135-172.
RWCH:
Arius and Alexander (pp. 98-101)
Nicene Creed and the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (pp. 101-102)
Athanasius of Alexandria (pp. 131-144)
Leanne M. Dzubinski and Anneke H. Stasson, Women in the Mission of the Church: Their Opportunities and Obstacles throughout Christian History (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021), 59-82.

Consists of Summary and
analysis a chapter from Michael Muhammad Knight’s Muhammad: Forty Introductions.First describe why you have chosen the chapter from Knight’s
book – what struck you as intriguing or interesting about it? Then write a summary (what
does the author say?) and analysis (what is their main point or argument and how
effectively do they make it?).No sources outside of assigned course readings are allowed.
im gonna upload the pages of the book also a template of this assignment that im gonna copy paste here.
Chapter 13: The People of Wudu’
I chose this chapter as it struck me as surprising to think of religion not as a belief in the mind,
but rather as an embodied action and practice. I have heard that Islam is a religion that
emphasizes practice and I wanted to learn more about that. This chapter discusses a particular
practice: wudu’ or ritual washing before prayer. I know that washing is important in different
religious traditions as a way to purify oneself for prayer, ceremony, or ritual, and wanted to
understand more about how it works in Islam.
Knight’s first main argument in this chapter, is that Islam does not always fit within Western
understandings of religion, where religion has tended to be defined as: “faith, bible, church”
(100). In contrast to this framework, Knight highlights how important bodily ritual is to Islam, in
particular wudu’ or washing parts of one’s body before the five-times daily prayers (salat), to
enter into a state of ritual purity. Annemarie Schimmel says that if one expels fluid, matter, or
gas from their body, or falls asleep, they require wudu’ before prayer, which involves washing
“the face, part of the head, the arms to the elbows, the feet to the ankles” (40).
Knight defines the term salat, and then describes the importance of being in a state of ritual
purity before performing prayer. He shares that, in collections of Muhammad’s sayings, non-
Muslims may be surprised to find out that the first thing discussed is not faith or salvation, but
rather “the necessary knowledge for achieving and maintaining ritual purity” (101). Washing to
be in a state of ritual purity is actually foundational to the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings: the
hadith Knight discusses in this chapter refers to wudu’ as “the sign of my community” (100).
Knight then concludes the chapter with a discussion of his own experience of ritual purity and
prayer, and how Muslims might interpret these rituals differently over time.
That brings us to Knight’s second main argument in this chapter, that “the meanings of prayer
change across different contexts” (102). As a young convert to Islam, Knight encountered
Islamic pamphlets that described washing as a mental preparation for prayer. He notes that some
Muslims even see the five times daily prayer as a meditative practice like yoga. For others
however, washing is seen as “God’s prescriiption for physically removing sins from one’s flesh”
(103). His argument here is that Muslims define the meaning of rituals like washing and prayer
in different ways in different times, with some emphasizing more the mental aspects of these and
others the physical.
2
What stood out to me about this argument was his idea that different Muslim understandings of
washing and prayer may be “more useful than others,” depending on the time and place that a
particular Muslim lives within (102). I find this intriguing, as it suggests that Islam might be
something like a tool kit of various interpretations that Muslims can draw from when they need
different resources. Does this mean if, say yoga is ‘cool’ now, that Muslims can define salat as a
sort of Islamic yoga? But what are the implications of that? I get that there are different
interpretations that people can draw from, but what influences shape which interpretations they
choose to highlight? I wonder what might be some of the advantages and disadvantages of
interpreting religion according to current intellectual fashions.

(Church Hist: Early-Reformation)
Due: Primary Source Reflection #4 (Gregory of Nyssa/Letters of Cyril of Alexandria and Nestorius of Constantinople/Inscriiption of the Monument of the Church of the East in Xian)
Upload a Word document with your response to at least two of the following questions. Your response should be at least 200 words, but no more that 250. You must upload your response. Students who enter text in the box below will not receive credit.
answer these questions.?
What attributes does Gregory describe in his sister? What were the most important aspects of her life of faith? Based on the Life of Macrina, what roles are there for women in the church?
What language does Cyril and Nestorius use to describe Christ? How it is similar, how is it different?
What institutions and practices in Chinese Christianity are described? What is the relationship between the church and the imperial government?
PRIMARY SOURCE READINGS

Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the
Reformation Revised and Updated (New York: Harper One, 2010)
Gonzalez, pp. 193-240; chs. 18-23
Leanne M. Dzubinski and Anneke H. Stasson, Women in the Mission of the Church: Their Opportunities and Obstacles throughout Christian History (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021), 59-82.
RWCH:
Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Macrina (pp. 147-155)
Letters of Cyril of Alexandria and Nestorius of Constantinople (pp. 165-174)
Inscriiption of the Monument of the Church of the East in Xian (pp. 243-247)
Please submit all papers double spaced in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1 inch margins.
Papers that do not meet or exceed the word limits will be marked down. Late papers will lose one
percentage point for each day late. Papers must include complete footnotes for all references and a
bibliography. Please use the Turabian footnote-bibliography style. Several universities have
published helpful guides to Turabian online, and the many libraries have printed copies of the
Turabian style guide. Proper citation of all sources is expected, so any quotation of three words in
length or greater must be footnoted

These should be 12pt font, double-spaced with one-inch margins, name/date/assignment in the header, a bibliography, and a minimum of 350 words. In this reflection, you need to 1) analyze the reading(s) (What was the reading about? What was its thesis? Main points? How does the author make their argument?) and 2) engage the readings from your own experience (What did you think about it? What struck you? What was new to you? What questions did you have? What did you agree with or disagree with? Why? What had energy for you?). Take notes as you read to facilitate this process each week. You will be graded on grammar, spelling, paragraphing, clarity, correct citations, and the personal connections you make with the materials—these are personal reflections.

Search in books/online resources for an answer to the discussion question
(Q)
“Islam granted women many rights that were not given to them before, in your point of view what is the most important of these rights and why?
• The most important of these rights from my point of view is:
Why?
You don’t have to cite just write from your own words, only quote if needed

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0098219/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk https://uscatholic.org/articles/201202/do-you-hear-the-cry-of-the-poor-liberation-theology-today/ https://youtu.be/Ut-UOhY0s8E?si=t-mSM6pUjhM7chLp https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/texts/bible.shtml

1. Watch the video, “Creating Jesus: Why Mark’s Gospel Was Forgotten”

2,Answer the following questions
a. What is the narrator’s premise (main idea) about the Gospel of Mark?
b. Cite at least three examples of how the narrator evaluates Mark’s gospel
c. Do you agree with the narrator’s evaluation of Mark? Why or why not?
d. Does the author believe in his own premise? How can you tell?

1. Watch the video, “Creating Jesus: Why Mark’s Gospel Was Forgotten”

2,Answer the following questions
a. What is the narrator’s premise (main idea) about the Gospel of Mark?
b. Cite at least three examples of how the narrator evaluates Mark’s gospel
c. Do you agree with the narrator’s evaluation of Mark? Why or why not?
d. Does the author believe in his own premise? How can you tell?