PIC 562 01 Cross-Cultural Evangelism
Andrew Wood, Assistant Professor
(513) 244-8176
Office: WM Center 132
PIC 562 01 Cross-Cultural Evangelism
and Discipleship
Fall 2007 (3 hours)
Description & Rationale
This course is an introduction to the concepts and tools of cultural anthropology as it relates to cross-cultural missions: understanding other cultures, worldviews, languages, customs and social structures. Application is made to evangelistic outreach and discipling efforts in cross-cultural settings, including development of a plan for reaching and discipling a particular people group.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Analyze biblical data to discover and explain basic principles related to cross-cultural contextualization of the Gospel.
2. Develop skill in distinguishing obstacles and opportunities for the Gospel in a varietyof cultures.
3. Integrate insights from Scripture and the social sciences into an appropriate plan for evangelizing and discipling people of other cultures.
4. Discover the relevance of cross-cultural mission theory to evangelism in Western culture and consider local ministry applications for the course material.
Required Reading
Hesselgrave, David J. Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally.2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1991.
Heibert, Paul G. and Eloise Hiebert Meneses. Incarnational Ministry: Planting Churches in Band, Tribal, Peasant, and Urban Societies.Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1995.
Newbigin, Lesslie. Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1986.
Conde-Frazier, Elizabeth, et al. A ManyColoredKingdom: Multicultural Dynamics for Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 2004.
Disclaimer
This syllabus should not be taken as a comprehensive statement of all policies related to this course. The professor reserves the right to amend or alter the course plan during the semester, with adequate warning to the students of any changes.
Attendance / Late work
- Please consult the academic catalog for the University’s attendance policy.
- Students absent more than two times from this class will be dropped from the roll.
- Work received up to 7 days late will receive a 10 point penalty. Work received more than 7 days late will not be accepted.
- Students who would like their graded work returned should include their student mailbox number on the front of each submission.
Grades
This class follows the standard CCU grade scale:
A95-100C+80-82
A-92-94C77-79
B+89-91C- 74-76
B86-88D+71-73
B-83-85D65-70
F0-64
Assignments
Initial Reflection paper: 10% Due Sept. 10
- Submit a four-page, typed, double-spaced reflection paper divided into two sections:
1. My current understanding and beliefs regarding cross-cultural evangelism.
2. My current understanding and beliefs regarding cross-cultural discipleship.
Participation: 10%
- Students are expected to come to class having completed assigned readings and prepared to discuss them.
- Participation grade will be lowered if the student is disengaged from the discussion or is unusually clueless about the topic.
Interview Project: 30% Due Nov. 26
- Interview three professionals in cross-cultural evangelism and/or discipleship
(missionaries, ministers of multi-ethnic congregations, parachurch leaders, etc.).
The National Missionary Convention (Nov. 15-18, Cincinnati) will be an ideal venue for in-depth discussion with missionaries.
- Suggested interview questions:
1. How is your evangelistic approach customized to the people group you work with?
2. What have you learned through the experience of practicing cross-cultural evangelism that you could not have learned in a classroom?
3. Has your involvement in cross-cultural work changed the way you approach people of your own culture? Explain.
4. What would you say are the essential elements of effective post-conversion discipleship?
5. What unique problems are posed in discipling people of your target culture, and how do you handle those problems?
6. Other questions of your choice.
- Write a 6 page description of your interviews (2 pages per interview), including a summary of answers to your questions and your assessment of the missionary’s strategy.
Research Paper: 30%
- Research cultural features of a people group of your choice and prepare a strategy paper suggesting culturally appropriate and effective ways to evangelize and disciple that people group. The assignment will be completed in two stages:
- Outline & Bibliography Due Oct. 22 (10%): Submit a one or two page outline of the paper and an annotated bibliography of at least 15 sources. You may include the course readings and interviews but should go beyond these sources to include other missions texts, journal articles and internet resources. Include a one or two sentence description of each of the sources in your bibliography. As this is a working bibliography, you may add or subtract sources from it before turning in the full research paper.
- Research Paper Due Dec. 3 (20%): Submit a 20-page (including final annotated bibliography of works cited), typed, double-spaced research paper describing your people group and a contextualized program of evangelism and discipleship.
Final Reflection paper: 20% Due Dec. 10
- Rewrite your initial reflection paper to address the following (4 pages, typed, double-spaced):
1. What I have learned about cross-cultural evangelism.
2. What I have learned about cross-cultural discipleship.
Weekly Agenda and Assignments
Note: the required readings listed below are to be completed before that day’s class.
Week 1 Aug. 27
Agenda: Course introduction, get acquainted.
Reading: none.
Week 2 Sept. 3 – Labor Day, no class
Week 3 Sept. 10 – Initial Reflection Paper due (10% of course grade)
Agenda: New Testament models of cross-cultural evangelism and discipleship
Reading: Read extensively through the NT, making as comprehensive a list as possible of examples of cross-cultural evangelism and discipleship. Reflect and take notes on these examples, be prepared to share and expound upon them in class.
Week 4 Sept. 17
Agenda: Communication Theory & Paradigms
Reading: Hesselgrave p. 23-189, 388-450
Week 5 Sept. 24
Agenda: Anthropological Concepts
Reading: Hiebert p. 9-49; Hesselgrave p. 191-212, 451-506
Week 6 Oct. 1
Agenda: Cognitive Processes
Reading: Hesselgrave p. 287-385
Week 7 Oct. 8
Agenda: Band and Tribal Societies
Reading: Hiebert p. 51-183; Hesselgrave p. 221-236
Week 8 Oct. 15
Agenda: Peasant Societies
Reading: Hiebert p. 185-256; Hesselgrave p. 237-285.
Week 9 Oct. 22 – Outline &Bibliography due (10% of course grade)
Agenda: Discuss project topics; Urban Societies
Reading: Hiebert p. 257-375; Hesselgrave p. 507-524
Week 10 Oct. 29
Agenda: The West as a Cross-Cultural Mission Field
Reading: Newbigin p. 1-150 (all); Hesselgrave p. 213-220.
Week 11 Nov. 5
Agenda: Methodologies
Reading: Hesselgrave p. 525-638
Week 12 Nov. 12
Agenda: Discipleship Content
Reading: Library assignment during class.
Week 13 Nov. 19 – National Missionary Convention (Nov. 15-18).
Although this class period is after the convention, the professor expects all students to attend some portion of the convention to complete the interview project and will accept this attendance in lieu of class. Students should use the class time on Monday to reflect on the convention, write up their papers for the Interview Project due next week, and read the Conde-Frazier text.
Week 14 Nov. 26 - Interview Project due (30% of course grade)
Agenda: Discuss interviews; Multicultural Spiritual Formation
Reading: Conde-Frazier p. 7-219 (all)
Week 15 Dec. 3 – Research Paper due (20% of course grade)
Agenda: Discussion of research papers, course overview.
Reading: none.
Week 16 Dec. 10 – Final Reflection Paper due (30% of course grade)
Exam week. No final exam, no class.