MA Missional Leadership Modules
Core Modules
ML1 – The Contemporary Culture of the Challenge of Mission
ML2 – Missional Leadership – Theory & Practice
Specialist Modules
ML3 – Engaging Our Local Context for Mission
ML4 – Forming Communities for Mission
Module Descriptors
Title
Contemporary Culture & the Challenge of Mission
Code
ML1
Faculty
Education & Theology
Cost Centre
Level
FHEQ 7
YSJU M
Credits
30
Total Learning Hours
300
Barred Combinations
None
Pre-requisites
None
Learning and Teaching
Type of Learning Activity
comprises
hours
weeks
Timetabled Contact:
Block learning (+ regional networks)
30
16
Independent Study:
Reading primary and secondary sources, accessing and
completing verbatim, researching and preparing
assignments
270
16
300
16
Total:
Rationale and Aims
The term ‘missional’ is now widely used but not necessarily well understood. This module explores the
historical, theological, and contemporary contexts for this concept, with particular reference to how mission
can relate to contemporary Western culture.
Aims:
1. To critically engage with and appreciate the nature of cultural theory and its relevance for missional work
2. To critically explore how Western culture has changed in recent years and gain advanced knowledge of the
historical background to these changes
3. To examine and analyse the elements of a culturally-attuned approach to mission in the West (including
evangelism, social action and church planting)
4. To identify and critically examine both historical and more recent expressions of ‘missional church’ and
evaluate them in the light of contemporary culture.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse concepts of Western culture and develop greater awareness and appreciation of the
need for a ‘missional’ approach to evaluate contemporary mission
2. Critically analyse the ways in which churches and/or faith-based organisations can engage in a variety
of forms of mission relevant to contemporary culture
3. Critically reflect on the application of missional thinking to their own ministry setting and apply robust,
reflective and contextually-appropriate approaches to their ministry
Assessment (please include expected word length (for text-based assessment))
#
description
weighting
learning
outcomes
1 5000 word essay
80%
1, 2, 3
2 Personal development task
20%
3
Qualified Failures: in order to pass the module, students must achieve at least:
(for modules with more than one summative assessment component please delete as applicable)
A mark of 20 in each component and an overall pass mark
Indicative Content
Students will:
1.
Explore theories of culture, particularly the influence of secularisation, post modernity, (and their
epistemological assumption) and the waning influence of Christendom within Western societies
2.
Explore contemporary challenges to mission, including philosophical (e.g. science and the new atheism),
cultural (e.g. consumerism, individualism) and theological challenges (including that of Islam and other
major world faiths), and how these may be overcome.
3.
Examine examples of mission in the West since the Enlightenment, including an assessment of
contemporary missional movements and reflect on the development of the ‘missional conversation’.
4.
Assess the different ways in which evangelism, social action and church planting can be undertaken in the
context of the West as components of Christian mission.
Library Resources
Indicative essential book provision (5 examples):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Smith, J.K.A., Who's Afraid of Postmodernism? (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012)
Van Gelder, C. & Zscheile, D., The Missional Church in Perspective. Mapping Trends and Shaping the
Conversation (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011)
Day, A. and Lövheim, M. (eds.), Modernities, Memory and Mutations: Grace Davie and the Study of
Religion (Ashgate, 2015)
Barker, C., Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice, (London: SAGE, 2011)
Murray, S., Post-Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World (After Christendom) (Bletchley:
Paternoster, 2011)
Indicative journals / periodicals (3 examples from current subscriptions):
1. Missiology - An International Review (American Society of Missiology)
2. Journal of Missional Practice (The Missional Network)
3. International Review of Mission (WCC)
Audio-visual / non-printed material:
None
ICT Resources
Hardware
N/A
Specialist software
Moodle (online VLE)
ATLA database and e-library
Media Resources
AV equipment
Data projectors, DVD player
Title
Missional Leadership –Theory & Practice
Code
ML2
Faculty
Education & Theology
Cost Centre
Level
FHEQ 7
YSJU M
Credits
30
Total Learning Hours
300
Barred Combinations
None
Pre-requisites
None
Learning and Teaching
Type of Learning Activity
comprises
hours
weeks
Timetabled Contact:
Block learning (+ regional networks for p/t study)
30
16
Independent Study:
Reading primary and secondary sources, accessing and
completing verbatim, researching and preparing
assignments
270
16
300
16
Total:
Rationale and Aims
The Church in the West is undergoing profound change as it adjusts to a new context for mission. Students
will study the core leadership attributes and skills required to lead Christian communities (including mission
organisations and churches) in this changing landscape. Effective leadership encompasses the use of particular
skills to shape organisations and these skills are similar for faith and non-faith based organisations. Yet
Christian leadership cannot be studied from the perspectives of theory and skills alone and the role of personal
formation is a central aspect of leadership development. The impact that a leader him/herself has on others
also depends in large part on the development of character and an understanding of their personality. Selfawareness is, therefore, another important factor in leading effectively.
Aims:
1. To critically evaluate the theory and processes of leadership in churches and mission organisations
2. To critically explore models of managing change and conflict and the concepts of imagination and
innovation in organisations
3. To enhance self-awareness in order to enable students to improve their interpersonal leadership skills
4. To enable students to critically engage with the major academic and critical issues in the fields of
personality theory and communication theory as they impact upon missional work
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse the elements involved in effective Christian leadership in different contexts
2. Critically evaluate the various approaches to self-awareness and personal formation in the
development of missional leaders
3. Engage in critical personal reflection around the development of their identity as Christian leaders
Assessment (please include expected word length (for text-based assessment))
#
description
weighting
learning
outcomes
1 3500 word essay
55%
1, 2, 3
2 Personal development task
20%
1, 3
3 1500 word critical review of a key published academic book or article
25%
2
Qualified Failures: in order to pass the module, students must achieve at least:
(for modules with more than one summative assessment component please delete as applicable)
A mark of 20 in each component and an overall pass mark
Indicative Content
Students will:
1. Evaluate and critique the task of leadership and its challenges in our current cultural
context
2. Critically assess key skills for Christian mission and leadership in a time of societal
change, including the management of transitions
3. Evaluate the concept of ‘character’ and critique its importance to Christian leadership within
missional situations with reference to issues such as the use of power, servanthood and
accountability
4. Critically assess the importance of self-awareness to effective leadership especially within
missional contexts: including critical analysis of a range of approaches (phenomenological,
narrative, psychometric testing etc.)
Library Resources
Indicative essential book provision (5 examples):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Francis L. J., Faith and Psychology: Personality, Religion and the Individual, (London: DLT, 2008)
Roxburgh, A., & Romanuk, F., The Missional Leader: Equipping your Church to Reach a Changing World
(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011)
Wheatley M.J., Leadership and the New Science - Discovering Order in a Chaotic World (San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler, 2010)
Collins, J. and Hansen, M. T., Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck - Why Some Thrive Despite
Them All (Random House Business, 2011)
Guder, D., Hirsch, A., Catchim, T., & Breen, M., The Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and
Practice for the 21st Century Church, (San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2012)
Indicative journals / periodicals (3 examples from current subscriptions):
1. Missiology - An International Review (American Society of Missiology)
2. International Review of Mission (WCC)
3. International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church (Routledge)
Audio-visual / non-printed material:
None
ICT Resources
Hardware
N/A
Specialist software
Moodle (online VLE)
ATLA database and e-library
Media Resources
AV equipment
Data projectors, DVD player
Title
Engaging Our Local Context for Mission
Code
ML3
Faculty
Education & Theology
Cost Centre
Level
FHEQ 7
YSJU M
Credits
30
Total Learning Hours
300
Barred Combinations
CM3,
UM3,
MS3
Pre-requisites
None
Learning and Teaching
Type of Learning Activity
comprises
hours
weeks
Timetabled Contact:
Block learning (+ regional networks)
30
16
Independent Study:
Reading primary and secondary sources, accessing and
completing verbatim, researching and preparing
assignments
270
16
300
16
Total:
Rationale and Aims
Many leaders in churches and faith-based organisations have been initially trained in the skills of managing
the internal life of a church/organisation. Missional leadership implies leading the church in external mission
activity beyond the church community. One of the key skills and capacities of missional leadership, therefore,
is the ability to lead churches into an engagement with their local communities and contexts.
Aims:
1. To develop critical understandings of how readings of the biblical narrative inspire local culturallyappropriate expressions of mission
2. To explore and critique various approaches to the study of local community
3. To facilitate imagination for mission within their local content
4. To evaluate and critique the concepts and practice of contextual theology
5. To critically reflect on the importance of place and to engage with recent theologies of place
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically examine ways in which context affects Christian mission
2. Apply advanced skills and critical imagination in missional leadership within their communities
3. Critique the ministry practice of their church or organisation in terms of its sensitivity and
appropriateness to context
Assessment (please include expected word length (for text-based assessment))
#
description
weighting
learning
outcomes
1 3000 word research project
50%
1, 3
2 Presentation
30%
1, 2, 3
3 Personal development task
20%
2, 3
Qualified Failures: in order to pass the module, students must achieve at least:
(for modules with more than one summative assessment component please delete as applicable)
A mark of 20 in each component and an overall pass mark
Indicative Content
Students will:
1. Explore approaches to the theory and practice of contextual theology
2. Address and evaluate the nature of the Christian gospel in relation to practical contextual
issues
3. Examine ways in which churches can relate to other local community bodies and political
structures to outwork their commitment to justice
4. Research and critically evaluate methodologies suited to the analysis of local contexts
Library Resources
Indicative essential book provision (5 examples):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Gilchrist, A. and Taylor, M. The Short Guide to Community Development (Bristol: Policy Press, 2011)
Bevans, S.B., and Tahaafe-Williams, K., Contextual Theology for the 21st Century (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2011)
Hiebert, P., The Gospel in Human Contexts: Anthropological Explorations for Contemporary Missions
(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009)
Inge J., A Christian Theology of Place (Aldershot: Ashgate , 2004)
Sparks, P., The New Parish, How Neighbourhood Churches are Transforming Mission (Downers Grove: IVP,
2014)
Indicative journals / periodicals (3 examples from current subscriptions):
1. Journal of Contemporary Religion (Carfax)
2. Cultural Encounters — A Journal for the Theology of Culture (Multnomah University)
3. Transformation – an International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies (Sage)
Audio-visual / non-printed material:
None
ICT Resources
Hardware
N/A
Specialist software
Moodle (online VLE)
ATLA database and e-library
Media Resources
AV equipment
Data projectors, DVD player
Title
Forming Communities for Mission
Code
ML4
Faculty
Education & Theology
Cost Centre
Level
FHEQ 7
YSJU M
Credits
30
Total Learning Hours
300
Barred Combinations
CM4,
UM4,
MS4
Pre-requisites
None
Learning and Teaching
Type of Learning Activity
comprises
hours
weeks
Timetabled Contact:
Block learning (+ regional networks)
30
16
Independent Study:
Reading primary and secondary sources, accessing and
completing verbatim, researching and preparing
assignments
270
16
300
16
Total:
Rationale and Aims
The concept of community is central to Trinitarian theology, as well as to the notion of missio Dei. This
module explores what is distinctive about faith communities nurtured by the Christian narrative, and
how such communities can be formed in practice. Leadership of such communities needs to cultivate
imagination for mission alongside creating effective structures for discipleship. Specific skills include
resolving conflict and the development of small group contexts for effective discipleship.
Aims:
1.
2.
3.
To critically evaluate definitions of community and formulate appropriate Christian definitions
of the concept of community To critically explore the place of small groups in a missional ecclesiology To critically evaluate approaches to interpersonal tra nsactions that contribute to community
formation, including the practices of mentoring and conflict management Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically examine notions of Christian community in terms of their distinctiveness and theological
construction and practice
2. Critically evaluate practices and structures within the life of the Church that contribute to the
development of community
3. Critically analyse theoretical and theological insights to the Christian community of which they are a part
Assessment (please include expected word length (for text-based assessment))
#
description
weighting
learning
outcomes
1 5000 research project
80%
1, 2, 3
2 Personal development task
20%
2, 3
Qualified Failures: in order to pass the module, students must achieve at least:
(for modules with more than one summative assessment component please delete as applicable)
A mark of 20 in each component and an overall pass mark
Indicative Content
Students will:
1. Explore a range of sources that attempt to identify a distinctively Christian concept of ‘community’
2. Examine historical and contemporary ways in which small groups have featured in the development of
Christian community and mission
3. Discuss and critically evaluate theoretical and practical approaches to the management of conflict
4. Explore a range of spiritual disciplines by which persons are formed in community
Library Resources
Indicative essential book provision (5 examples):
1. Block, P., Community: The Structure of Belonging (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2009)
2. Gibbs E., Churchmorph: How Megatrends are Shaping Christian Communities (Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2009)
3. Lewis, R., Mentoring Matters: Identifying and Promoting the Work of God’s Spirit in the Lives
of Christian Leaders (Oxford: Monarch, 2009)
4. Savage S., and Boyd-MacMillan E., Conflict in Relationships: At home, At Work, In Life:
Understand it, Overcome it (Oxford: Lion Hudson, 2010)
5. Vanier J., Community and Growth, Rev. ed., (Dartman: Longford & Todd, 2006)
Indicative journals / periodicals (3 examples from current subscriptions):
1. Practical Theology (Equinox)
2. Anvil – An Anglican Evangelical Journey for Theology and Mission
3. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching
Audio-visual / non-printed material:
None
ICT Resources
Hardware
N/A
Specialist software
Moodle (online VLE)
ATLA database and e-library
Media Resources
AV equipment
Data projectors, DVD player