Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Semester: Spring 2015
Professors: John H. Ewart
Email: jewart@sebts.edu
EQUIP@sebts.edu
EVA6611/Campus/EQC
CHRISTIAN GROWTH AND DISCIPLESHIP
PRACTICUM
“Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary seeks to glorify the Lord
Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the
Great Commission.”
PLEASE NOTE
The EQUIP Leader must approve the students that participate in their
class, write a supplemental syllabus that includes all requirements
(listed on pages 4-5 of this syllabus) and send the EQUIP office
(EQUIP@sebts.edu) a list of participants no later than three weeks
prior to the beginning of the semester (December 29, 2014 for Spring
semester).
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the biblical principles and practice of personal spiritual
growth. This course may only be taken in conjunction with a SEBTS approved EQUIP participant or
other approved entity. (EQUIP Instructor may not change this course description)
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES: To equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great
Commission, the Southeastern faculty build curricula and courses to develop the following core
competencies so that a student who successfully completes this course will be better prepared to serve
the Church and fulfill the Great Commission by learning to do the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define and describe “discipleship” and “mentoring.”
Articulate a biblical theology of, and approach to, disciplemaking.
Demonstrate knowledge and practice of basic spiritual disciplines.
Demonstrate beginning skills for discipling believers.
Articulate a personal strategy for mentoring others in his/her ministry context.
Demonstrate improved written and verbal communication skills as needed in the practice of
ministry.
OBJECTIVES (EQUIP Instructor may add to these course objectives but not remove any of the ones
already included)
Spiritual Formation: demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue an authentically
Christian way of life, manifested by trust in God, obedience to Christ’s commands, and love of
God and neighbor. [Course SLO #3, 4, 5]
Biblical Exposition: demonstrate the ability to properly and effectively interpret, apply, and
communicate the Scriptures. [Course SLO #1, 2, 3]
Theological Integration: demonstrate the ability to understand and apply the doctrines of
Christianity to life and ministry. [Course SLO #3, 4, 5]
Ministry Preparation: demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and Christian disposition necessary
for ministry and leadership in the church and the world. [Course SLO #3, 4, 5]
Critical Thinking and Communication: demonstrate the ability to think critically, argue
persuasively, and communicate clearly. [Course SLO #2, 6]
REQUIREMENTS (EQUIP Instructor must articulate the specific requirements of the class as indicated
below)
1. READING – The reading requirement for this course must include the two books listed
below and an additional 650 pages of reading chosen by the EQUIP Instructor. Please
include all reading in the final version of the syllabus given to the EQUIP Office and the
student.
SEBTS Required Reading:
Lawless, Chuck. Mentor (Member Book). Nashville, Tenn.: Lifeway Christian Resources, 2011.
Putman, Jim. Discipleshift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make
Disciples. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2013.
EQUIP Field Instructor’s Required Reading:
2. WRITING – The writing requirement for this course must include the assignment listed
below as well as at least 18 pages of additional writing and research (double-spaced, 12pt
New Times Roman font). These assignments may include research papers, book analyses,
position papers, reflection papers on ministry experiences (see below), and/or various other
writing assignments relative to pastoral ministry. These writing assignments should be
weighted and assigned a grade.
SEBTS Required Writing:
The student should compose a 2-3 page essay as a final document for the course that answers the
question, “What Is Discipleship?” This essay should include (but is not limited to) the Biblical
requirements for discipleship. This essay should be graded by the EQUIP Instructor.
EQUIP Field Instructor’s Required Writing:
3. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION – The instruction time for this course may include lecture,
debate, discussion, and other instructive activities in which the EQUIP Instructor or guest
lecturer is directly interacting with the students. The minimum classroom instruction time for
this course is 24 hours. A schedule of meeting times and topics should be included in a
Course Schedule in the syllabus prepared by EQUIP Instructor.
4. PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES – This course is designed so that SEBTS students are able to
learn pastoral ministry in a hands-on fashion. With that in mind, the EQUIP Instructor must
include instruction with at least 7 of the following practical experiences in the course:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Prepare and implement a personal Bible study plan
Prepare and implement a personal prayer plan
Lead a corporate prayer experience
Prepare a review and evaluation of the current corporate discipleship plan of your
church or ministry
e. Lead a one on one discipleship experience
f. Prepare and lead a small group discipleship lesson
g. Prepare a worship service evaluation
h. Other ideas?
n.b., Each of these practical experiences should happen in addition to the “Classroom
Instruction” requirements above and should take at minimum of 2 hours each.
GRADING – Include a detailed explanation of the grading of this practicum course. Also, please
note that the SEBTS grading scale is as follows (include this in the syllabus):
A
B
C
D
F
=
=
=
=
=
95-100
87-94
77-86
70-76
0-69
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING NOTES IN THE SYLLABUS ALONG WITH ANY OTHER
INSTRUCTIONS YOU DEEM NECESSARY:
(1) The student is expected to spend no less than 2 hours of out-of-class work per credit hour in this
class.
(2) This syllabus is meant to accurately reflect all expectations and assignments for this course.
However, the professor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus at his discretion.
(3) Cheating or plagiarism of any kind will result in an immediate failing grade on the assignment
with no chance for resubmission. The professor does have the option either to allow the student to
remain in and complete the course or to dismiss the student from the course completely. Regardless
of the professor’s ruling, all cases of cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Students
Office and the appropriate Academic Dean(s) where further disciplinary action will be considered.
At the very least, a permanent record of the infraction will be kept in the student's file. For further
information regarding this policy, please refer to the ‘Plagiarism & Cheating’ section of the Student
Handbook.
Topics & Course Schedule
The EQUIP Instructor must formulate a schedule that clearly identifies meeting dates, topics covered,
and due dates for any assignments. A template is included below for your convenience.
SCHEDULE (Template)
Wk
Date
1
Jan 19
2
Jan 26
3
Feb 2
4
Feb 9
5
Feb 16
6
Feb 23
Mar 2
7
Mar 9
8
Mar 16
9
Mar 23
Mar 30
10
Apr 6
11
Apr 13
12
Apr 20
13
Apr 27
14
May 4
15
May 11
Lecture Topic
SPRING BREAK
EASTER BREAK
Reading Assignment
Assignment Due
This syllabus must be updated each year for Christian Growth and Discipleship. The EQUIP Leader must
approve the students that participate in their class, write a supplemental syllabus that includes all
requirements listed below and send the Administrative Assistant of EQUIP a list of participants no later
than three weeks prior to the beginning of the semester (December 29, 2014 for Spring semester). If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the EQUIP Office: (919) 761-2460 OR
EQUIP@sebts.edu