Quarterly Post on School - 4th Edition

So, once again (and last time actually) I have started another quarter of classes full-time. This is my last quarter of classes at Fuller. I will have one class left to take over the summer and my practicum to finish. I will be writing about my practicum in a later post. So, here is a little about the three classes I am taking this quarter...

1. Job and Human Suffering

Just to ease any concerns, this is not a class teaching us how much suffering we will have to endure in trying to find a job with a seminary degree, but one about the theology of suffering as a part of the book of Job in the Hebrew Scriptures. I am very excited about this course as it is incredibly practical for my future ministry as well as for me personally. It is taught by Dr. James Butler, who I took Hebrew Prophets from last spring quarter. I really appreciate Dr. Butler and his very "grandfatherly" approach that is very caring and compassionate. I have started looking into what I will research and write about for my final paper and I definitely want to look at suffering traditions in different immigrant contexts, both from a religious perspective as well as a cultural perspective. We'll see once I get into it if this is really possible or if I need to narrow it more substantially.

2. Global Evangelical Movement

This class, taught by Dr. Jehu Hanciles, focuses on the historical movement of the Evangelical church and Evangelical missions. We look back into the 18th century to the start of the movement through Wesley, Edwards, and others and bring it to modern times. There is a large focus given to the global spread through missions and the incredible growth of Pentecostalism in Africa, Latin America and Asia. If you weren't aware, the majority of Christians in the world do not live in the U.S. or Europe, but in the three places previously mentioned. I have had particular interest in the global movement of African Initiated Churches, particularly in Europe. I will be doing some further research on this topic for my research papers.

3. Thinking Missiologically

This is our capstone course for the MA program. It really is all about integration of all our other courses we have taken at Fuller. All of our papers based on case studies or other forms of research must draw from theoretical, theological or historical concepts we have learned from our other classes. I am really appreciative of the class. I recognize the heavy amount of work we have for it, but at the same time, it will really help me to walk away from Fuller with some concrete things I learned and can apply directly into ministry. The class is taught by Dr. Doug McConnell, the Dean of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller.

By June 12, I will be officially graduated from Fuller! I'm excited about finishing and starting on with the rest of my life and applying what I have learned into practical means in an urban community overseas!

Quarterly Post on School - 3rd Edition

Well, another quarter at Fuller brings a whole new group of classes, so here's the layout this quarter...

1. Jesus and the Kingdom of God

This class is the historical and theological reflection into the concept of the Kingdom of God particularly by looking at the Old Testament and the Synoptic Gospels. The message provides an important focal point for engaging in the synthetic, critical, and constructive work of biblical theology that is pivotal to day-to-day ministries of all kinds. The class is taught by Joel B. Green, who has my favorite commentary on the Gospel of Luke and is one of the leading New Testament scholars alive. I have heard this class is very challenging academically, but I have really appreciated Green and his work on the New Testament, so I am open to the challenge.

2. Theology in Global Perspective

This course looks at the theological reflections by both Western and non-Western Christian traditions. It looks at how these traditions have developed throughout history and in the modern era. We are to look at how ministry must take place in a changing and globalizing world where majority Christianity is not Western any longer, but more in the southern hemisphere. The global church is changing and those of us in missions need to understand this changing landscape. This course is a core class for my degree.

3. Teamwork and Leadership

This course explores the role of small groups and leadership in churches, parachurches, and missions. Due to the increasing pressure on Christian workers to function within the context of teams, peer leadership and followership will be studied in relation to teamwork. It will also provide a basic introduction to teamwork and leadership frameworks, with an emphasis on biblical leadership and the role of the community and team. Finally, this course will explore the issues and skills required to be an effective team member and team leader. This course is a core class for my degree.