MFM/CNS/DIS 500 DISCOVERING & DEVELOPING YOUR MINISTRY POTENTIAL
Fall 2004
Western Seminary
--
Randal Roberts, D.Min. Office: 3rd Floor, BH
E-Mail: rroberts@westernseminary.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This personal
assessment course uses a wide variety of tools that will enable you to gain
greater insight into how your gifting, personality, passion and background
might best be matched with potential ministry opportunities. Substantial
attention will also be given to gaining maximum profit from formal and informal
ministry training. An additional materials fee will be charged. Required of all M.A. and M.Div. students during their first year of studies. Two units.
COURSE GOALS
Since you as a
potential (or current) church leader have been uniquely gifted by God and
shaped by circumstances permitted by His providence, identifying key elements
of your individuality can greatly assist you both discern an appropriate
ministry role and further develop your capabilities to fulfill that role most
effectively. Upon completion of this
course, therefore, you should be able to:
A. better identify what
type of ministry role(s) might best fit your gifting and background;
B. generate information that will help you formulate
(in consultation with your mentors) a training program best suited to prepare
you for that ministry role;
C. learn how to
maximize your profit from both formal and informal training for this role;
D.
feel a greater confidence in the sufficiency of God’s
provisions for life and ministry;
E.
appreciate the contribution of different temperaments,
gifts, passions, etc.; and
F. assess the potential
value of this type of testing for personal and ministry development.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
This course will
be graded S/U (for "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory");
receiving a "S" is dependent upon completing
all of the assignments below in a timely and appropriate manner.
Regular
attendance is important for you to profit from this assessment experience. "Unexcused" absences (i.e.,
"cuts") that exceed 20% of the regular course meetings will
jeopardize your satisfactory completion of this course. By Dec. 17 turn in a 3x5 card on which you
indicate how many class sessions you missed for reasons other than illness or
genuine emergency (feel free to use the same card that you use for your reading
report; cf. below).
REQUIRED
The following
texts are to be read (all are on reserve in the library):
Aubrey Malphurs, Maximizing
Your Effectiveness
R. Oswald and O. Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious
Leadership -- read pp.
1-56, 136-144 and those sections pertaining
to your
Myers-Briggs type; skim the rest
G. McIntosh and
Samuel Rima, Sr. Overcoming
the Dark Side of Leadership
Lee Ellis, Leading Talents, Leading Teams
Gary Thomas, Sacred
Pathways
At a projected
rate of reading 45 pages per hour (and allowing an additional three hours to
complete the various exercises in the Malphurs and
Ellis texts), this reading should take you approximately 32 hours. Due Date: Dec. 17 (turn in a 3x5 card
indicating how much of this reading you completed)
TESTS/INVENTORIES/QUESTIONNAIRES
(16 hours)
Each test or
assessment instrument will be discussed at the class session indicated on the course
schedule below. Students are normally
expected to complete each instrument sometime before that class session, unless otherwise indicated. All instruments preceded
by an * need to be purchased from the bookstore. All other instruments will be distributed in
class.
INTERVIEW (2 hrs)
Choose one
individual who is currently performing (or has performed) the type of ministry
role to which you are aspiring at this point in your life. Conduct at least a 30 minute interview with
this individual, asking him/her the following
questions (use these just as guidelines to learn as much about the nature and
demands of that role as possible): What types of tasks are involved in this
ministry? What skills are needed to do this ministry well? What are the most frustrating
and fulfilling aspects of your ministry? What advice would you give to someone
beginning to train for this type of ministry? etc.
After doing this
interview, prepare and turn in a one-page (typed, single space) summary of key
information learned. Be sure to identify
who you interviewed and what ministry role he/she represents. Due: Dec. 17
INTEGRATIVE PAPER
(10 hrs)
After
thoughtfully reflecting upon and integrating all the data that you've
accumulated to date, write a 10-12 page paper (double-spaced) that addresses
each of the issues below. Do your best
to be specific and concrete in discussing each issue. Due: Dec. 17
For what type
of ministry role do you believe God has designed you? Did your interview with a current
practitioner of that ministry tend to confirm or challenge that belief? If so, in what ways? Does your “ministry passion” support
that sense of calling?
Based upon
testing and/or reflection, describe how you best learn. What implications does
this have for your formal and informal training?
What sort of devotional practices or strategies might be
best suited for your temperament, learning style, etc.? What is your “sacred
pathway” (cf. Thomas’ book) and what are its implications for your spiritual
development (and how you seek to nurture it)?
What seem to
be your primary gifts and talents, and what evidence (including, but not
limited to, the tests taken in this course) do you have for making this
assessment? In which of the different types of intelligences are you strongest? Weakest? What are the implications of these scores for
your anticipated ministry? Do you have a gift cluster? Include an evaluation of
the ministry experience that you may have had so far in your life and the input
from any others that you consulted in the process of doing your gift
evaluation.
How will your
personality type contribute to your effectiveness in that ministry, and in what
ways might it hinder it? With what other
personality types might you be most vulnerable to conflict, and what
attitudes/actions do you need to cultivate to minimize the potential for such
conflict?
What insights
(if any) did the Ellis book and tests provide by way of your self-awareness and
what circumstances contribute to your optimal productivity?
With respect
to the biblical qualifications for church leadership roles (e.g., I Tim. 3,
Tit. 1), in which areas are you the strongest?
The weakest?
Based upon the
various tests you have taken, how would you describe your current leadership
style? What adjustments might you need
to make to enhance your effectiveness as a ministry leader?
How has your
family of origin background shaped you with respect to your life and ministry
(both positively and negatively)? How
are you trying to counter any negative influences? Did any of the leadership
styles discussed in McIntosh/Rima seem to describe
you, and if so, how? Is your self-image biblically balanced? If not, what adjustments do you need to make?
Are any
non-Christian spiritual experiences still influencing your life? If so, how are you seeking to minimize (and
hopefully eliminate) that influence?
How well are
you managing stress, time, conflict and your emotions? If not well, what plans for improvement will
you make?
In which of
the various approaches to evangelism are you most and least effective?
To what extent might your health or physical condition affect your ministry? Are there any adjustments you could make in your appearance to give your ministry more credibility or to minimize unnecessary distractions?
How does your family (e.g., parents, spouse, etc. as appropriate) feel about your sense of ministry direction?
What sort of
ministry training plan will you follow (cf. Malphurs,
chaps. 7-8)? What Western program (and
elective options) would seemingly best be suited to prepare you for your
intended ministry role? Who will serve as your mentor(s)?
What is your
current attitude towards the appropriateness and helpfulness for personal and
ministry development of the kind of tests you took this term? Which were most helpful, and which were least
helpful -- and why?
One copy of this
paper will be forwarded to your faculty mentor and one copy to the director of
placement/mentoring, so please turn in at least two copies. If you'd like me to comment on your paper, please turn
in a third copy. Be sure to staple the “Testing Summary Sheet”
to the front of each copy.
9/7 Course
Introduction and Syllabus
Ministry Passion
Reflect upon your ministry passion following class
discussion.
9/14 Personality Inventories
Introduction/Myers-Briggs
Complete both Appendices B and C in the Malphurs text. Compare your scores for Appendix C with the abridged Myers-Briggs instrument in Oswald/Kroeger (pp. 10-16) to get a sense of your Myers-Briggs "type."
9/21 Personality Inventories/DiSC and RightPath 4
Evangelism Styles
Complete Lesson 2 in *“Discover Your Giftedness in Christ” and the RightPath 4 test (see Elllis’ book for instructions). Following class discussion, complete the Hybels and Boursier evangelism style instruments.
9/28 Spiritual Gifts and Talents
Complete
Appendices A, E and F in Malphurs, and Lesson 1 in
*“Discover Your Giftedness in Christ.” If you'd like to
supplement these tests (especially if you believe that all gifts described in Scripture are operational today), also
obtain from the bookstore the *Wagner-Modified Houts
Questionnaire. After comparing
the results, enter what you believe to be your primary gifts on the
"Testing Summary" sheet. Note
both gift-mix and gift cluster, if appropriate.
10/5 Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences
Study Tips/Writing Guide
Complete the Multiple Intelligences test and ponder the implications of
your relative scores for ministry. Think about under what type of conditions
you best learn.
10/12 Emotional
Intelligence/Maturity
After class, complete the emotional intelligence instrument and think
about its implications for your life and ministry.
10/19 Time and Stress Management
It is recommended that you complete the *Time Mastery Profile, especially if you are having difficulties in managing your time (e.g., meeting deadlines, setting priorities, etc.). Complete Archibald Hart's Type A personality and physical symptoms of stress questionnaires, along with the Holmes/Rahe life change inventory.
10/26 Cross-Cultural Adaptability
Complete
the *Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI).
11/2 Family Background
Non-Christian Spiritual
Experiences
Begin working
on either a kinship chart or a genogram, traced back
to your grandparents (instructions on doing this will be given in class).
Complete this by the end of the term. Complete Neil Anderson's *"Steps to
Freedom in Christ."
11/9 Self-image
Physical Appearance and Vitality
Managing Finances
Reflect upon how biblically-balanced your self-image is following class discussion. Reflect upon personal applications from
the class discussions (and any instruments distributed) on professional
appearance and physical vitality.
11/16 Leadership Issues
Following class discussion, prayerfully examine your
life for
conformity to the
biblically-based character qualifications
for leadership.
Also, complete Appendix D in Malphurs and the
*Team Profile
by Bobb Biehl. Following
class discussion,
reflect upon both your approaches to effecting
change and
addressing conflict. Complete Lesson 3 in
“Discover Your
Giftedness in Christ.” In class you will complete a
conflict resolution style instrument.
11/23 Leadership Issues (cont.)
Spiritual Pathways
Read Thomas’ Spiritual Pathways.
11/30 Finding a
Transitional Tasks
12/7 Strategic Ministry Opportunities
Summary/Review
Bring any
questions or unresolved issues relating to the above topics to class with you.
12/14 NO
CLASS (FINALS WEEK)
12/17 (integrative paper, interview paper, reading and attendance
reports due)
TESTING SUMMARY
(attach as cover page of integrative paper)
Student____________________________
Faculty Mentor _______________
Age _____ Place of Birth ________________________
Undergrad degree
(give degree, major and school)
__________________________________________________________________
Currently
Married? Y N If yes, how long? _____________
Past Divorce? Y N If yes, when?
____________
Number
of Children? ______ Ages? ______________________
How long have you
been a Christian? __________________
Myers-Briggs Type
______________ DiSC Type _____________
Primary
Gifts/Talents 1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
4. ____________________
Ministry Passion
_________________________________________________
Intended Ministry
Role ___________________________________________
Prior Ministry
Experience ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Denominational
Preference ________________________________________
Life Change
Stress Points _______ Type A Score __________
Primary
Leadership Style/Team Profile __________
N.B. If you question the accuracy of any of the
test/assessment results entered above, place a "?" beside the
pertinent data and explain your questions or disagreement in your integrative
paper.