Pastoral Ministries

Faculty 

Adam L. Hughes, BA, MDiv, PhD
Associate Professor of Expository Preaching (Ministry-Based)

Mark L. Johnson Sr., BA, MDiv, ThM, DMin
Assistant Professor of Evangelism and Pastoral Ministry;
Director, Doctor of Ministry Program

Charles S. Kelley Jr., BA, MDiv, ThD
Distinguished Research Professor of Evangelism

Jonggil Lee, BA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Professor of Expository Preaching;
Director of the Korean Doctor of Ministry Program 

David Lema, BA, MDiv, ThM, DMin, PhD
Professor of Theology and Missions (Ministry-Based)

Gregory D. Mathias, BS, MDiv, PhD
Associate Professor of Global Missions, occupying the Owen Cooper Chair of Global Missions;
Director, Global Missions Center;

Blake M. Newsom, BS, MA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Associate Professor of Expository Preaching, occupying the Caskey Chair for Church Excellence;
Director, Caskey Center for Church Excellence

Preston L. Nix, BA, MDiv, PhD
Professor of Evangelism and Evangelistic Preaching, occupying the Roland Q. Leavell Chair of Evangelism;
Director, Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health

Reggie R. Ogea, BS, MDiv, ThD
Professor of Leadership and Pastoral Ministry (Ministry-Based);
Director, Jim Henry Leadership Institute

Arthur G. “Bo” Rice, BA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Associate Professor of Evangelism and Preaching (Ministry-Based)

George W. Ross, BS, MDiv, DMin
Assistant Professor of Church Planting and Evangelism (Ministry-Based),
occupying the Cecil B. Day Chair of Church Planting

Jake P. Roudkovski, BA, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Professor of Evangelism and Pastoral Leadership, occupying the Perry Sanders Chair of Pastoral Leadership;
Associate Dean, Professional Doctoral Programs

Kenneth B. Taylor Jr., BS, JD, MDiv, MLIS, PhD
Professor of Urban Missions, occupying the Chester L. Quarles Chair of Missions

W. Mark Tolbert, BS, MDiv, DMin
Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministry (Ministry-Based)

Michael N. Wetzel, BA, MDiv, DMin
Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry;
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

W. Andrew "Ted" Williams, BA, MDiv, PhD
Assistant Professor of Expository Preaching, occupying the J. D. Grey Chair of Preaching;
Associate Dean of the Division of Church Ministry

Donald J. Wilton, BA, BEd, HED, MEd, MDiv, ThD
Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministry (Ministry-Based)

Description of Courses

The following list represents courses and seminars offered in the Pastoral Ministries area. This list does not contain specific information regarding the session and time of offering. Specific information will be made available to the student by the Registrar’s Office prior to registration. Students wishing a major in preaching, pastoral theology, evangelism, or counseling should list Church Ministry as their major division.

Preaching

PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible (3 hours)
This is a foundational course which considers the nature of preaching, principles of sermon construction, resources for preaching, methods of sermon preparation and delivery, and problems of the preaching ministry. While students are exposed to a variety of approaches to sermon development, primary emphasis is given to the expositional process which undergirds the preaching event.

PREA5305 Special Event Preaching Conference (3 hours)
This course is designed around a special event preaching conference. At the conference and in this course, students will hear and evaluate the sermons of selected contemporary preachers who are known for expository preaching. Students will also complete selected assignments designed to enhance their own preparation and delivery of expository messages. Biblical proclamation and expository preaching will be emphasized in this course.

PREA6300 Preaching Practicum (3 hours)
In this course, videotaped sermons as well as sermons preached by students in class will serve as the basis for a study of preaching content, structure, and style. Prerequisite: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible. Course is available in a mentoring format.

PREA6301 The Art and Craft of Preaching 
This preaching course considers the nature of preaching and the enhanced development of sermon construction through the study of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The course will expand the introductory principles of reasoning—deduction and induction; emphasize the importance of specific elements from classical rhetoric—means of persuasion; argumentation, and figures of speech—to the sermon development process; and enhance the students understanding, appreciation, and usage of language in the sermon.

PREA6306 Pastoral Preaching (3 hours)
Attention is given to the selection of texts and the preparation of sermons to meet the needs of the contemporary church family. Topics studied will include how to integrate congregational profiling and biblical exposition with the role of the Holy Spirit in sermon planning and development as an effective means of extending the ministry of the pastor through pastoral preaching. A planned preaching program will be devised. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible and PATH5331 Pastoral Ministry.

PREA6307 Evangelistic Preaching (3 hours)
Advanced study is made of the content and structure of evangelistic preaching, with special attention given to the invitation, the evangelistic series, a program of evangelistic preaching, and the sermons of great evangelists. Prerequisite: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible.

PREA6313 Contemporary Bible Exposition (3 hours)
This advanced course addresses the practice of expository preaching in the contemporary culture by treating subjects such as current resources for biblical exposition, the use of multimedia and other creative delivery formats, the ministries of selected contemporary Bible expositors, and the relationship between the history of expository preaching and contemporary practice. Emphasis is given in the course to meeting the tension between time-tested principles of biblical exposition and the nature of contemporary listeners. Prerequisite: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible.

PREA6314 Preaching Bible Doctrine (3 hours)
This course considers selected doctrines of the Christian faith and how they may be proclaimed most effectively. Attention is given both to clarification and proclamation of doctrinal truth, as well as to the nuances of topic-focused preaching that is informed by biblical exposition. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1 and OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2; or NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1 and NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

PREA6316 Preaching from Historical-Narrative Literature (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to the historical and narrative books of the Old Testament and the Book of Acts in the New Testament. Special attention is given to sermonic developments that reflect the structure of narrative literature; the development of theological, ethical, and biographical sermons; as well as approaches to dealing with law, ceremony, and civil instructions. Limited attention is dedicated to critical matters. Prerequisite: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1 and NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

PREA6317 Preaching from Poetic and Wisdom Literature (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to the Old Testament books and passages containing poetry and wisdom literature. Attention is given to understanding the nature of Hebrew poetry and wisdom material, including literary devices like parallelism, chiasms, inclusios, and imagery. Difficulties in interpretation as well as key theological themes are also studied. Special emphasis is placed on sermonic developments that reflect the nuances of the genres. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2.

PREA6318 Preaching from the Prophets (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to the Old Testament books of prophecy. Students are exposed to the identity of the writing prophets as well as their distinctive messages and literary styles. Special attention is given to sermonic developments of selected passages containing prophetic material. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2.

PREA6319 Preaching from the Gospels (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to the various themes and emphases of the four Gospels. Special attention is given to sermonic developments of events in the life of Christ, the teachings of Christ, miracle passages, and parables. Students also will be exposed to sermonic treatments of key editorial comments, movements, dialogues, and reactions to the ministry of Christ. Limited attention is dedicated to critical matters. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1.

PREA6320 Preaching from the Epistles (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to both the general and Pauline letters found in the New Testament. Attention is given to the form and function of epistolary material during the New Testament period, as well as to the implications of the backgrounds of the individual books for preaching. Special emphasis is given to sermonic developments of selected passages from the epistles. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible and NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

PREA6321 Preaching from Apocalyptic Literature (3 hours)
This course addresses preaching approaches to the apocalyptic material found in both the Old and New Testaments. Attention is given to the distinctive traits that characterize apocalyptic writing, like its eschatological nature, messianic flavor, symbolism, dualism of good vs. evil, and cosmic conflict. Special attention is given to sermonic developments of selected apocalyptic passages. Limited attention is dedicated to critical matters. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible; OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2 or NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2.

PREA6322 Pulpit Apologetics (3 hours)
This is an advanced course which considers the role of apologetics in expository preaching. Students are exposed to a variety of homiletical approaches aimed at demonstrating the truth and relevance of God’s Word in contemporary culture. Emphasis is given to proclamation aimed at forming a Christian worldview in the minds and hearts of hearers.

PREA6330 Technological Application for Bible Study & Preaching: Logos Bible Software (3 hours)
This course is designed to teach the current Logos Bible Software program for Bible study and sermon preparation. The focus will be on teaching participants how the program works, how to configure it to retrieve needed information, and how to use it in Bible study and sermon preparation. Special attention will be given to the ability to navigate, customize, and search the Logos software, for preparing templates, handouts to use in Bible study and sermon preparation. Resources like commentaries, Greek and Hebrew language tools, as well as other reference works will be examined and integrated into the Bible study process.

PREA6331 History of American Preaching (3 hours)
This course is a study of selected American preachers from the First Great Awakening through the twentieth century. The study provides an investigation into the historical context of the preachers, their sermons, and their influence on the church and society in America.

PREA63XX Preaching through the Old Testament Books (3 hours)
Each PREA63XX course addresses preaching approaches to the various themes and emphases found in the Old Testament book under study. Attention is given to the book’s purpose, authorship, date of writing, literary structure, genre, first audience, and content outline. Special attention is given to the development of sermons appropriate to the exegetical, theological, and expositional substance of the book. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible, OTEN5351 Interpreting the Old Testament 1, and OTEN5352 Interpreting the Old Testament 2.

PREA63XX Preaching through the New Testament Books (3 hours)
Each PREA63XX course addresses preaching approaches to the various themes and emphases found in the New Testament book under study. Attention is given to the book’s purpose, authorship, date of writing, literary structure, genre, first audience, and content outline. Special attention is given to the development of sermons appropriate to the exegetical, theological, and expositional substance of the book. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible, NTEN5351 Interpreting the New Testament 1, and NTEN5352 Interpreting the New Testament 2,

PRIS5115/5215/5315 Independent Directed Study in Preaching (1, 2, or 3 hours)
PRIS6115/6215/6315 Independent Directed Study in Preaching [Advanced] (1, 2, or 3 hours)
In this independent study, the student will be involved in one-on-one study with a professor in the area of preaching.

Pastoral Ministry

PATH5300 Worship Leadership (3 hours)
This introductory course will enable the student to plan, facilitate, and give spiritually directed leadership to people in worship by studying theological and historical foundations, church music, and worship practices. Additional attention will be given to platform behavior.

PATH5310 Counseling in Ministry (3 hours)
This course introduces students to counseling in various ministry contexts including pastoral care. Attention is focused on how Scripture and theology form the foundation for counseling in local ministry and soul-care. Also can be taken as COUN5300.

PATH5331 Pastoral Ministry (3 hours)
This course will aid students to develop competency in pastoral ministry through a study of being called to a church, beginning a pastoral ministry, building relationships, leading a church, and leaving a church field. Practical ministry matters, as well as theological and philosophical considerations, will include training in planning preaching, administering the ordinances, performing weddings, conducting funerals and ordinations, visiting, counseling, and sustaining spiritual growth. Course is available in a mentoring format.

PATH5332 Pastoral Ministries Workshop (3 hours)
This three-hour academic workshop is designed to develop the student in specific areas related to the objective of Pastoral Ministries.

PATH5333 Christian Ministry (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to aid students in developing competency in personal ministry through a study of the theological, philosophical, and practical aspects of Christian ministry. This course is intended for students who do not have a pastoral ministry calling as pastors, chaplains, church ministry staff, or church planters. Thus, the course is designed to help students develop skills in Christian ministry to people in various settings and situations.

PATH5334 Bi-Vocational Ministry (3 hours)
This course will aid students to develop competency in bi-vocational pastoral ministry through a study of how to accept a call to a bi-vocational church, begin a bi-vocational ministry, build relationships, carry out pastoral ministry on a bi-vocational basis, equip others for ministry, provide effective leadership and church administration, and prepare to leave a bi-vocational church position.

PATH5336 Contemporary Models for the Local Church (3 hours)
This course exposes students to the ministry philosophy of the First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, with a view toward applying transferable principles in various local church contexts. The clinical learning experience will seek to help students learn to interpret the ministry philosophy of the church and its leadership in order to apply rightly selected aspects in local church ministries.

PATH5337 Theological and Practical Issues in Chaplaincy (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to expose students to issues in chaplaincy ministry, including theological and apologetic issues, as well as practical pastoral ministry and counseling. The course surveys various types of chaplaincy ministry, approaches to pastoral counseling, and apologetic issues. The course is taught with a view towards enabling the student to take advanced courses in theology and pastoral ministry and apply concepts specifically to a chaplaincy context. Also can be taken as THEO5337.

PATH6333 Church Ministries Creation and Contextualization (3 hours)
A study will be made in this course of designing effective traditional and innovative ministries in contemporary church contexts from a pastoral ministry perspective. Students will learn how to assess ministry needs and plan, implement, coordinate, and evaluate ministries through the local church. Biblical insights and factors of cultural contextualization will be examined. Prerequisite: PATH5331 Pastoral Ministry.

PATH6334 Stress and Conflict Management (3 hours)
This course is designed to help students understand the causes and effects of stress and interpersonal conflict. Attention will be given to managing stress and conflict in personal ministry within the context of the church. Students will study biblical principles, contemporary theories, available resources, and practical methods for managing stress and conflict effectively. Prerequisites: PATH5331 Pastoral Ministry and CCSW6314 Interpersonal Relationship Skills.

PATH6335 Pastoral Leadership (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to explore leadership styles and principles from a pastoral perspective. Students will examine and analyze profiles from biblical, historic, and contemporary personalities. Students will also evaluate current emerging trends in pastoral leadership from the perspective of the senior pastor of a local church.

PATH6336 Prayer in the Life of the Minister and Church (3 hours)
This course addresses prayer as it relates to the minister and the church. Attention will be given to the theological foundations of prayer as well as the role of prayer in the devotional life of the minister and the corporate life of the church. The course will also prepare the minister for implementing and facilitating prayer ministry in the local church context.

PATH6337 Advanced Chaplaincy (3 hours)
This course is designed to develop within each student a personal theology and identity of chaplaincy ministry. ​The course builds on concepts introduced in the basic chaplaincy course, PATH5337 Theological and Practical Issues in Chaplaincy. Topics addressed include personal identities and theologies of chaplaincy, self-care, pathways for board certification, creating verbatims, clinical policies, professional ethics, and denominational and religious encounters in a pluralistic context.  Students will be challenged to build their personal identity and theology of an evangelical, Christian chaplain while serving in a secular, pluralistic context of ministry.

PAIS5115/5215/5315 Independent Directed Study in Pastoral Theology (1, 2, or 3 hours)
PAIS6115/6215/6315 Independent Directed Study in Pastoral Theology [Advanced] (1, 2, or 3 hours)
In this independent study, the student will be involved in one-on-one study under the guidance of a professor in the area of pastoral theology.

PREA6306 Pastoral Preaching (3 hours)
Attention is given to the selection of texts and the preparation of sermons to meet the needs of the contemporary church family. Topics studied will include how to integrate congregational profiling and biblical exposition with the role of the Holy Spirit in sermon planning and development as an effective means of extending the ministry of the pastor through pastoral preaching. A planned preaching program will be devised. Prerequisites: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible and PATH5331 Pastoral Ministry.

Church Planting

CHPL5183/5283/5383 Specialized Planting Models and Methods (1, 2, or 3 hours)
This course will give students experience in a church plant setting for a limited period of time (typically one week) and intensive classroom training to study the church plant in its context. The course may include special seminars, workshops, or field excursions dealing with specific church planting targets or methods. A sample syllabus will be available for interested students. Instructor’s permission required to register.

CHPL5360 Teaching Methodology in Church Planting (3 hours)
In this course, students will familiarize themselves with the NAMB Send Network Church Planting training philosophy. They will learn key methodology principles and highly effective strategies for teaching adults. While the teaching methodology aspect of the class can be used in numerous areas of one's life, the emphasis will be on helping the student develop an acute understanding of models and strategies that would likely be appropriate for planting new churches, leading a congregation, and reaching target communities with the gospel.

CHPL5380 Principles of Church Planting (3 hours)
This course is designed for students interested in identifying key principles related to church planting. Planting churches in a number of contexts will be examined, including urban, rural, language, and multicultural. Emphasis will be given to the biblical basis, the motivation, and the personnel of the church planting enterprise.

CHPL5381 Strategic Church Planting for Multiplication (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to examine the various major aspects of church planting in detail in order to prepare the student to make key ministry decisions. A major focus of the class will be to prepare a complete strategy for a real or hypothetical target community, including issues such as purpose statement, vision, values, philosophy of ministry, target audience, budgeting, and other related matters.

CHPL5384 Church Planting in the African-American Community (3 hours)
This course is designed to address the unique opportunities and challenges faced by ministers in starting new churches and church-type ministries in a predominately African-American context.

CHPL5385/5386 Internship I & II - Church Planting (3 hours each)
This program offers the student an opportunity to gain church planting experience while serving on a team of a new or recent church plant. This field experience will include aspects of church planting, pastoral ministry, and other areas of ministry. The course can be taken during the summer on a full-time basis or in our semester system in conjunction with other classes. A stipend may be available to the student for this course. (Formerly Praxis)

CHPL6363 Immigration and North American Church Planting (3 hours)
This course is designed to examine international migration to North America, its missiological implications for the Great Commission, and church planting in particular. Special attention will be paid to the immigrants’ cultures, worldviews, and their consequent multiculturalism and religious pluralism. The course will equip students in communicating the Gospel cross-culturally within the contemporary North American context.

CHPL6370 Gospel and The City: Principles of Contextualization (3 hours)
This class is an "in the field" course where students will learn contextualization principles for understanding and reaching target communities with the gospel. Students will learn to apply four primary practices of community exegesis by gaining an accurate understanding of the social, economic, physical, and spiritual climate of the church planting community. By carefully examining and gaining a clear contextual picture of a community, the planter will discover the degree of need within that context, as well as models and strategies that likely would be appropriate for church planting in a given context.

CHPL6372 Church Planting Leadership in a Post-Christian Context (3 hours)
This is a course designed to provide students with a grasp of the issues and dynamics involved in planting churches in a post-Christian context. Students will learn about current and future barriers for church planting and develop strategies for contending for the gospel without compromising what is applicable to their context and community. This course will provide leadership principles for church planting in a post-Christian context.

CHPL6380 Ethnography and Church Planting (3 hours)
This practicum introduces students to ethnographic research principles of understanding everyday socio-cultural settings of a church planting target community. Students will learn to apply methods of systematic, qualitative observations and will gain hands-on experience by carrying out their own ethnographic research project within a potential or church planting context.

CHPL6381 Ministry Integration Project (3 hours)
This course is designed to engage students in an analysis and evaluation of a variety of ministerial issues related to a specific church-plant setting. These issues should include, but are not limited to, topics such as research of the field, implementation of church planting methods, and development of leadership and relational skills.

CHPL6382 Spiritual Warfare in the Local Church (3 hours)
This course addresses spiritual warfare as a critical component in the life of the New Testament church. It focuses attention on understanding the work of God’s enemy (Satan) and ways that church leaders may understand, identify, and avoid his schemes. A growing awareness of cosmic-level spiritual warfare has emerged in recent years as an important component of Christian development and ministry. This course investigates biblical, theological, and practical dimensions of spiritual engagement.

CHPL6392 Special Topics in Church Planting (3 hours)
This course will incorporate a major conference designed for students interested in missions or church planting. The course will be held in conjunction with the North American Mission Board Send Gathering/Conferences. Students will attend conference sessions designed to encourage and inspire participants in missional leadership and church planting. In addition to attending the conference sessions, students will complete other designated course requirements. Included in the required readings for the course will be various subjects related to the practice of church planting in North America.

CHIS5187/5287/5387 Independent Directed Study in Church Planting (1, 2, or 3 hours)
CHIS6187/6287/6387 Independent Directed Study in Church Planting [Advanced] 91,2, or 3 hours)

Evangelism

EVAN5131 Personal Witnessing Practicum (1 hour)
This course is a practicum experience in personal evangelistic witnessing designed to foster the discipline of intentionally sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him as Savior and Lord. The course involves a basic introduction to biblical evangelism and supervised field study. Continuous enrollment every semester is required for all master’s students receiving the Caskey Center for Church Excellence scholarship.

EVAN5300 Evangelism (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to explore the nature and practice of evangelism with emphases upon the biblical, theological, historical, and practical applications within the context of the local church. Principles and methods of evangelistic church growth will be examined to equip students to lead their churches to fulfill the Great Commission in their communities. The course will include a practicum component to give students evangelistic tools as well as training and experience in personal witnessing. Course is available in a mentoring format.

EVAN5350 Church Evangelism (3 hours)
The purpose of the course is to explore the ministry of evangelism through a local church and its ministries. In addition to a summary of various approaches to evangelism in local churches, the biblical, theological and historical aspects of evangelism will be highlighted as well in order to provide a holistic view. Course is available in a mentoring format.

EVAN5373 Reaching the Postmodern, Dechurched, and Uninterested (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to discover insights into the emerging challenges and opportunities for evangelistic Christian ministry in a pluralistic society. Students will explore cross-cultural methods and develop skills in communicating Jesus Christ with those who have been influenced by postmodernity and other popular worldviews. Interviews, surveys, Internet research, and role playing will be significant components in the learning process.

EVAN5376 Church Models for Disciple Making and Growth (3 hours)
This course investigates key issues surrounding the development of disciples through life transformation and how various churches throughout America are seeking to evangelize and grow people toward spiritual maturity. This course will deal with fundamental questions of church so that students will be able to construct a workable growth for spiritual formation and lay leader development in their given ministry contexts. Church models will be discussed in light of the strengths and limitations for different ministry contexts.

EVAN6132/6232/6332 Clinical Field Project in Evangelism or Church Planting (1-3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to offer the student supervision and guidance in a carefully planned experience of ministry. The student may make arrangements for a project in a local church, mission field, or church plant with approval of a professor in the discipline.

EVAN6319 Mobilizing God’s People for Ministry (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to guide students to discover and implement biblical approaches to equipping the saints for the works of ministry. Students will explore various foundations for mobilizing people for service as well as practical ideas concerning matters such as gift analysis, personality type, relational dynamics, and organizational structuring to match the church profile.

EVAN6320 Vital Signs of a Healthy Church (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to help students define a healthy church, discover biblical qualities of healthy churches, expose them to current research on healthy churches, and introduce them to vital signs of a healthy church. Students should be able to diagnose church growth diseases.

EVAN6321 Church Revitalization (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to lead plateaued and declining churches in a variety of settings to become revitalized. This course provides students with the conceptual tools necessary to understand and work effectively in revitalizing churches by using a case study approach. Course is available in a mentoring format.

EVAN6336 Practices in Muslim Witness and Evangelism (3 hours)
This course provides a theological, philosophical, apologetic, evangelism and mission’s methods overview of witness and evangelism practices among Muslims. The course will explore contemporary witness to Muslims employing class room lecture, reading, and guided research to inform students committed to engage in Muslim evangelism. Also can be taken as MISS6336, THEO6336, or PHIL6336.

EVAN6351 Contemporary Trends in Growing an Evangelistic Church (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to identify the significant trends and changes affecting evangelism and church growth based on the historical backdrop and principles of the church growth movement. The course introduces students to the current literature and gives attention to the applications and implications of these trends for local church evangelism.

EVAN6352 Biblical Principles and Practices of Evangelism (3 hours)
Concentrated attention is given to the great evangelistic stories, commands, and themes of the New Testament. The evangelistic activities of Jesus, Paul, the early church, and other individuals will be studied in light of their historical and modern implications (formerly New Testament Evangelism).

EVAN6354 Great Revivals and Awakenings (3 hours)
The course is designed to study the great revival movements of history to acquaint the student with biblical principles related to revivals and their laws and leaders, and to create concern for such revivals to take place in modern society.

EVAN6399 Mission Trip to the Muslim World (3 hours)
The course is set within mission trip to a specific city in the Muslim Middle East. Participants will be engaged in a well developed and respected ESL witness program. Students will be prepared to join in pre-evangelism, harvest evangelism, and follow-up work within a group of Muslim adult students. Participants will be exposed to many issues faced by converts from Islam, witness to Muslims open to the gospel, and establish new believers by assisting them to enter into spiritual disciplines both though face to face and Internet interaction. Also can be taken as MISS6399 or THEO6399. Prerequisite: THEO6336, PHIL6336, MISS6336, or EVAN6336.

EVIS5155/5255/5355 Independent Directed Study in Evangelism (1, 2, or 3 hours)
The student works in coordination with the professor on a particular stated course in the curriculum or in a mutually agreed to related subject area.

EVIS6155/6255/6355 Independent Directed Study in Evangelism [Advanced] (1, 2, or 3 hours)
The student works in coordination with the professor on a particular stated course in the curriculum or in a mutually agreed to related subject area.

PREA6307 Evangelistic Preaching (3 hours)
Advanced study is made of the content and structure of evangelistic preaching, with special attention given to the invitation, the evangelistic series, a program of evangelistic preaching, and the sermons of great evangelists. Prerequisite: PREA5300 Proclaiming the Bible.

Mentoring

PMEN6300/6600 Mentoring in Gospel Ministry (3 or 6 hours)
This course will aid students to develop competency in gospel ministry in a semester-length learning experience that involves the student in practical ministry with an academic professor and an approved on-site mentor. The student will experience a variety of ministry situations and opportunities in which they will learn and apply principles of ministry under the guidance of a faculty member and on-site mentor.

Additional courses may be taken in the mentoring format. Those courses may be found in their respective program sections of this catalog and are designated by the phrase “Also can be taken in a mentoring format” (additionally, the courses are identified with the mark in the MDiv specializations and other degrees).

Missions

MISS5330 Christian Missions (3 hours)
In this course students are introduced to Christian missions through a brief examination of biblical and theological foundations and a historical overview. Attention is given to the International and North American Mission Boards of the Southern Baptist Convention, including their administration and programs, and to the contributions of the Woman’s Missionary Union. Particular attention is given strategic concerns affecting the future of the mission enterprise. Course is available in a mentoring format.

MISS5331 Disaster Relief Training and Experience (3 hours)
This course provides training in disaster response and experience in disaster preparedness and/or disaster response. Attention will be given to preparing local churches to respond in positive ways to disaster situations and to opportunities to expand God’s Kingdom in a variety of ministry settings. Also can be taken as CCSW5331.

MISS5342 Old Testament Foundations for Mission (3 hours)
The course is designed to provide a detailed examination of the Old Testament foundations for the worldwide missionary effort. Attention is given to important texts and events, key missiological motifs, and important scholarly literature in the field. The approach follows the literary divisions of the Old Testament.

MISS5343 New Testament Foundations for Mission (3 hours)
This course is a detailed study of New Testament foundations for Christian missions. Course content is arranged according to the literary groupings of the New Testament. Attention is focused on New Testament teaching directed to missions, as well as on the implications for missions derived from New Testament narrative.

MISS5344 Theology and Philosophy of Missions (3 hours)
The theology and philosophy of missions are examined from the perspectives of biblical foundations, historical development, contemporary discussions, and future directions. Special attention is given to major missiological motifs, the impact of significant missiological movements, and the interaction between theology and missiology.

MISS5345 Practicum in Urban Missions (3 hours)
This practicum is designed to provide guided study and on-site experiences in an urban setting for students interested in urban missions. Students will evaluate theory in the light of local practice.

MISS5346 International Church Planting (3 hours)
This course is designed to give students a foundation to prepare for church planting in an international context.

MISS5350 Ministry to Refugees, Immigrants, and Internationals (3 hours)
This course involves a survey of the issues around the world of refugees and how the church can minister to them on their journey and upon arrival in their new homes. Issues related to migration and how immigrants can be reached for Christ will also be examined. An examination will also be made of internationals, especially students, who live around us and how we can be more effective in ministering to them.

MISS5359 Chronological Bible Storying (3 hours)
This course is designed to introduce students to the technique in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting known as chronological Bible storying. Attention is given to characteristics of oral culture, storying methodologies, selection of biblical narratives, supporting media, and conservation of results.

MISS5362 Church Community Ministries (3 hours)
A special study is made in the development of programs for Baptist Centers and churches with a weekday ministries program. Emphasis is placed on discovering needs of a community and developing programs to meet these needs. Attention is given to church and community surveys and the administration of weekday ministries programs. Also can be taken as CCSW6364.

MISS5363 New Orleans Ministry and Missions (3 hours)
This course involves a survey of a wide selection of churches, church-type missions, and mission centers in New Orleans. During the course students will visit a number of mission and ministry sites and are given some actual mission experiences in the city.

MISS5370 World Religions Practicum (3 hours)
Students in this course build on skills acquired through study of world religions. Knowledge gained through secondary sources is supplemented through firsthand exposure and primary research in the field setting. This course is designed to be a field-based component in the international church-planting track.

MISS5371 Missions Strategies Research Practicum (3 hours)
Students participating in this practicum will use the Internet and other resources to conduct an ethnographic study of a specific people group and develop a people group profile as well as a tentative evangelistic and church planting strategy. Attention will be given to identifying barriers and bridges to the gospel.

MISS5399 Location, Region, or People Group Mission Trip (or) Cross-Cultural Trip (3 hours)
This class consists of a supervised mission (or) cross-cultural experience in a specific location and twelve hours of class time during the semester prior to the trip. Students will be involved in team preparation before leaving and team ministry while in the location onsite. Students will learn about preparation for a mission (or) cross-cultural trip and will do a study of the people group prior to the trip.

MISS5362 Church Community Ministries (3 hours)
A special study is made in the development of programs for Baptist Centers and churches with a weekday ministries program. Emphasis is placed on discovering needs of a community and developing programs to meet these needs. Attention is given to church and community surveys and the administration of weekday ministries programs. Also can be taken as CCSW6364.

MISS6300 Current Topics in Missiology (3 hours)
Since missiology is an applied area, a current topics course allows for offering more directed courses as we equip students to fulfill the mission amid a changing world. Possible topics could include (but are not limited to) Prayer and Spiritual Warfare; Pandemics, Missions, and Public Health; or Connect (a semester long course in partnership with the International Mission Board directed toward a specific Affinity. The Connect course would include a particular ministry context, short term ministry strategy training, and a STM opportunity.

MISS6309 Encountering World Religions (3 hours)
In this course, students will examine the major world religions: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, as well as other faiths such as Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, and Sikhism, from the perspective of underlying worldview, history, tradition, sacred literature, doctrines, and practices. Emphasis is placed on the use of primary sources and personal contact with practitioners. Attention is given to particular barriers to the Gospel as well as to promising avenues for sharing the Gospel associated with each religion. Also can be taken as PHIL6309.

MISS6332 Contemporary Mission Methods and Movements (3 hours)
This course is designed to familiarize students with the most current mission methods being employed on mission fields throughout the world. Students are also led to examine some of the movements that are impacting the work of missions. An example of the kind of movement studied is a church planting movement. Students are also led to develop skills in developing mission strategies. Prerequisite: MISS5330 Introduction to Christian Missions.

MISS6336 Practices of Muslim Witness and Evangelism (3 hours)
This course provides a theological, philosophical, apologetic, evangelism, and mission’s methods overview of witness and evangelism practices among Muslims. The course will explore contemporary witness to Muslims employing class room lecture, reading, and guided research to inform students committed to engage in Muslim evangelism. Also can be taken as PHIL6336, THEO6336, or EVAN6336.

MISS6337 Missional Ethics and the Great Commission (3 hours)
This course is designed to equip those engaged in the Great Commission with the tools needed to evaluate cross-cultural moralities and to respond consistently and ethically within a Christian worldview. Students will understand more clearly the nature of the moral life and learn to apply a Christian ethic to issues encountered transculturally. Topics addressed include worldviews and morality, cultural distinctions, ethical implications of guilt, shame, and fear driven cultures, polygamy and other culturally distinct expressions of marriage and family, responding to bribery and corruption, truthtelling, and other ethical concerns for those involved in cross-cultural ministries. Also can be taken as ETHC6337.

MISS6338 Introduction to Orality and Oral Cultures (3 hours)
This specialized course is designed for students enrolled in the Master of Arts (Cross-Cultural Studies). The course will be field-based; that is, the course will be taught on an international mission field. The student will participate in formal and informal language study of the primary language or languages of the unreached people group among whom they are working. The purpose of the course is to teach the Macedonia Project worker to speak at a basic level in their target people group’s primary language. A member of the missions department will supervise the course, but the actual teaching will be provided by nationals and supervised by missionaries on the field of deployment as designated by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

MISS6340 History of Christian Missions (3 hours)
A survey is made of the expansion of Christianity throughout the world beginning with Pentecost. Emphasis is placed on missionary events, personalities, and fields. Modern evangelical missions and the unfinished task of world missions are included.

MISS6342 Introduction to Urban Missions (3 hours)
In this course students are introduced to the biblical and theological foundations for missions in the city. The historical foundations of urban missions are briefly examined. Trends in urbanization are explored along with the implication of those trends for mission and ministry in the urban environment. Contemporary strategies for reaching the city, both national and international, are studied.

MISS6343 Intercultural Communication of the Gospel (3 hours)
This course involves a study of the dynamics of communicating the Christian faith interculturally. Attention is given to techniques for understanding culture and worldview, and to the relationship of culture to the gospel, evangelism, discipleship, and other concerns of the Christian faith.

MISS6344 World Religions: Eastern Religions (3 hours)
In this course, students examine the major Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Sikhism) from the perspective of underlying worldview, history, traditions, sacred literature, doctrines, and practices. Emphasis is placed on the use of primary sources and personal contact with practitioners. Attention is given to particular barriers to the gospel, as well as to promising avenues for sharing the gospel, associated with each religion.

MISS6345 World Religions: Islam (3 hours)
This introduction to Islam provides students the opportunity to gain understanding of the worldview history, traditions, sacred literature, doctrines, and practices of this rapidly spreading faith. Emphasis is given to equipping students for effective Christian witness among Muslims through examination of barriers and bridges to the gospel within Islam. Also can be taken as PHIL6307 or THEO6335.

MISS6346 World Religions: Judaism (3 hours)
A survey is undertaken of the history of Judaism from its beginnings in Old Testament Israelite religion through the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Subject areas such as Torah, sacrifice, the Jewish festival calendar, messianism, prophetism, and election will be examined in order to understand better the Jewish background of the New Testament. Special attention is given to the development of modern forms of Judaism, such as Reform and Conservative Judaism with a view toward better understanding how to relate the gospel of Jesus Christ to persons of the Jewish faith.

MISS6348 Life and Work of the Missionary (3 hours)
This course is designed to introduce the prospective cross-cultural missionary to selected issues encompassing lifestyles, strategic thinking and planning, contemporary methodologies, and critical life and ministry skills.

MISS6349 Anthropology for Missions and Ministry (3 hours)
This course is designed to equip missionaries with a basic understanding of the field of anthropology as related to mission service. Areas addressed include social structures, socialization, kinship and descent, marriage, social stratification, artistic expression, and illness. Particular attention is given to the principles of ethnographic research as related to missionary strategy and to social change as related to the transforming character of the gospel.

MISS6350 Language Learning and Acquisition (3 hours)
These specialized courses are designed for students enrolled in the Master of Divinity with a specialization in the Church Planting International Track. The courses will be field based; that is, the courses will be taught on an international mission field. The student will participate in formal and informal language study of the primary language or languages of the unreached people group among whom they are working. The purpose of the courses are to teach the church planter intern to speak at a basic level in their target people group’s primary language. The courses will be supervised by a member of the missions department, but the actual teaching will be provided by nationals and missionaries on the field of deployment as designated by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

MISS6353/6354 Missions Practicum (3 hours each)
The student will engage in a specific missions project with specialized academic work under the direction of a qualified field supervisor and a faculty advisor. The missions practicum may include specialized training such as International Learning Center (ILC) or Strategy Coordinator (SC) Training. This course would be an option for those engaged in missions service who have primary responsibilities in an area other than church planting. Students would submit reports of their involvement in a specific missions project. The course may be taken for one semester or a second semester with continuation of the same or a new missions project or implementation of a strategy plan.

MISS6358 Persecution and Martyrdom Yesterday and Today (3 hours)
This course examines persecution and martyrdom and the resulting theology of suffering in the early church and in the contemporary world in various global church settings. The course follows a seminar-based and student-led format with intense reading, discussion, research, and writing. Also can be taken as THEO6358 or HIST6358.

MISS6399 Mission Trip to the Muslim World (3 hours)
The course is set within a mission trip to a specific city in the Muslim Middle East. Participants will be engaged in a well developed and respected ESL witness program. Students will be prepared to join in pre-evangelism, harvest evangelism, and follow-up work within a group of Muslim adult students. Participants will be exposed to many issues faced by converts from Islam, witness to Muslims open to the gospel, and establish new believers by assisting them to enter into spiritual disciplines both though face to face and Internet interaction. Also can be taken as THEO6399 or EVAN6399. Prerequisite: THEO6336 or PHIL6336 or MISS6336 or EVAN6336.

MIIS5185/5285/5385 Independent Directed Study in Missions (1, 2, or 3 hours)
The student will work in coordination with the professor on a particular stated course in the curriculum or in a related subject area.

MIIS6185/6285/6385 Independent Directed Study in Missions [Advanced] (1, 2, or 3 hours)
The student will work in coordination with the professor on a particular stated course in the curriculum or in a related subject area.

EVAN6132/6232/6332 Clinical Field Project in Evangelism or Church Planting (1, 2, or 3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to offer the student supervision and guidance in a carefully planned experience of ministry. The student may make arrangements for a project in a local church, mission field, or church plant with approval of a professor in the discipline.

DISC6330 Discipleship Practicum (3 hours)
The purpose of this course is to offer the student supervision and guidance in a carefully planned experience of ministry related to discipleship. The student may make arrangements for a project in a local church, mission field, or in a church plant with approval of a professor in the discipline.