EVANGEL UNIVERSITY: DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAM
SOCA 445
CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IN THE HUMAN SERVICES
Cohort 18H Term SS1-06
May 30 thru June 20th, 2006
Instructor: Christine Arnzen, MA, LPC
Home Phone: 887-0903
Arnzenc@evangel.edu
Instructor: Sandy Friesen
School Ext.: 865-2811 x8525
friesens@evangel.edu
cell 860-6896
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Learners will evaluate personal values, ethics, worldviews, and personal call in light of
biblical perspectives in the capstone course.
COURSE RATIONALE
A person who enters the Human Service Profession is one who will be exposed to
varying degrees of human need and suffering. Consequently, one’s motivation for
entering the field will be challenged. At the same time the response to suffering and need
may present a clash between personal and professional values. To help the emerging
human service professional prepare to navigate these challenges this course will:
 Challenge the student to compare and contrast Christian values and professional
values.
 Explore one’s motivation for compassion and compare it to a biblical model of
compassion.
 Explore concepts of “the call” in light of career choices.
 Summarize the meaning of “the call” in the student’s life.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Before Session One, you should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast humanistic and Christian values that motivate the helping
profession.
2. Discuss common conceptualizations of human nature and society.
3. Discuss the Christian human service worker’s response to sin.
4. Explain how the Parable of the Sower is the context for what it means to be a
“witness” verses “witnessing”.
5. Articulate common issues faced among Christian human service professionals and
secular employment.
By the end of Session One to:
1. Explain what it means to be compassionate from a biblical perspective and how
does this compare to the commonly accepted understanding of compassion.
2. Discuss how compassion is an expression of being fully human yet how it may be
dangerous to one’s humanity.
3. Articulate the three postures that God demonstrates that he is a compassionate
God.
By the end of Session Two, you should be able to:
1. Discuss what it means to live a compassionate life as a follower of Christ. This
discussion is to include how living in community, voluntary displacement, and the
concept of togetherness creates the environment for compassion to be expressed.
2. Describe how spiritual discipline helps us maintain and refuel the compassionate
life.
3. Discuss how patience, prayer, and action guide our relationship with God and
fellow human beings. Discuss how God manifests his compassion through these
relationships.
Before Session Three, you should be able to:
1. Take the StrenthsFinder assessment online (allow about 45 minutes). Contact
Sheri Phillips at ext. 7321for a code to access the assessment.
2. Assignment: Create a legacy time-line. Include accomplishments, memorable
moments, meaningful events and special memories. This legacy line can be
pictorial or literary. Make copies for classmates. Be prepared to discuss in class.
1956
1960
1964
1968
1971
1975 etc.

Happy B-day
Accepted Jesus
HP infilling
Love Missions
Taught first class Met husband
Or
1956: Happy Birthday
1960: Accepted Jesus
1964: Received Baptism of Holy Spirit
1968: First fell in love with Missions
1971: Taught my first Sunday School class
1975 Met my husband while at college
Etc.
3. The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group will present major concepts from
Os Guinness’ book The Call. Groups 1 and 2 will present during class three.
Assignment:
Group 1: Chapters 1-6
Group 2: Chapters 7-12
Group 3: Chapters 13-19
Group 4: Chapters 20-26
By the end of Session Three, you should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define what Guinness means by “the Call”
Discuss your legacy line with the class.
Describe the concept of “the Seeker”.
Explain “responsibility” in light of The Call”.
Examine “the Call” and “vocation”.
Discuss the concepts of beliefs, God’s sovereignty, an audience of One, and
corporate calling.
Before Session Four, you should be able to:
1. Prepare for a presentation. Groups 3 and 4 will present major concepts from Os
Guinness’ book The Call.
Assignment:
Group 1: Chapters 1-6
Group 2: Chapters 7-12
Group 3: Chapters 13-19
Group 4: Chapters 20-26
By the end of Session Four, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the following concepts:
a. The journey
b. Conceit
c. The role of giftedness and desire when looking at “the Call”
d. Capitalism
e. Sloth
f. The Sleep of death
g. The focused life
h. Vision
i. Purpose
j. Completion
2. Write an essay summarizing your meditations on “the Call’ including the
following definitions:
a. Calling
b. Individual call
c. Corporate call
d. Special call
e. Primary call
f. Secondary call
g. Ordinary call
TEXTBOOKS
Keith-Lucas, A. (1985). So You Want to be a Social Worker: A Primer for the Christian
Student. St. Davids, PN: North American Association of Christians
In Social Work, 1985.
Nouwen, H., McNeill, D., Morrison, D. (1982). Compassion: A Reflection on the
Christian Life. New York, NY: Image Books.
Guinness, Os, (1998). The Call. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group
Bible
METHODOLOGY
The class will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and small group exercises.
STUDENT EVALUATION
Keith-Lucas Outline
50 points
Paper: Lessons from the Field 100 points
Exam
50 points
Chapter summary
100 points
Legacy line
50 points
Identity poem
25 points
Text (reading) (Os Guinness) 25 points
The Call essay
50 points
Total Points
450 points
Grade Scale A = 405-450
B = 360-404
C = 315-359
D = 270-314
F = 269 and below
**Although there isn’t a provision for extra
credit, a student’s class participation will
be taken into consideration if the final
grade is on the border between two grades
(within 5 points).
Written Assignments
Written work will be graded on the clarity of writing and depth of insight. Papers should
be typed, double spaced and stapled. Use 12 point New Roman Times font. Papers are
due at the beginning of the class on the assigned day. Late papers will be received up
until the beginning of the next class period and will receive a minimum of a 5%
deduction per day.
Chapter Outlines - 50 points: Outline the chapters 1,3,4,6 and 8 of So You Want
to be a Social Worker by Alan Keith-Lucas. These outlines will be used in group
discussion on the first night of class. In addition, the notes can be used for the essay
exam.
Paper: Lessons from the Field – 100 points. This paper is to consist of an
interview with a person from a Human Service agency/organization. It is preferable that
you interview professional that has been in the field at least 3 years. Please identify the
type of agency, position, and years of service. If it is helpful to the professional, offer to
disguise his/her identity. The following questions are to be addressed:
1. What motivated the professional to enter the field of human services? How has
that changed over time?
2. What are the issues within the field that challenges his/her motivation? Has s/he
ever reached a point when they considered leaving the field? What kept them
from leaving?
3. Did personal values and agency values ever clash? What did s/he do to resolve it?
4. What have been “surprise lessons” learned along the way that training/education
did not prepare the professional for?
5. In what ways does the professional keep motivated and available to do this work?
What does s/he do to stay off compassion fatigue? What are the personal signs of
compassion fatigue and what does s/he do to recoup?
Once your interviews are completed, you are to summarize each interview. Provide a
analysis of their experience based on the concepts in Nouwen’s book Compassion: A
Reflection on the Christian Life. For example, based on the information provided, did
the professional seem to be operating from what is traditionally understood as
compassion or was it from the biblical perspective as described in the book? Did you
hear themes of prayer, community, displacement, prayer etc? Finally, include a personal
reflection section in which you address issues, questions, and feelings that emerged
during the interview experience.
Assignments over Os Guinness’ The Call (100 points):
1. Chapter Assignment: The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group
will be assigned chapters from Os Guinness’ book, The Call. Each team will
present a summary of their chapters to the class. Be prepared to lead the class
in a discussion regarding those chapters. Hand-outs are required for each
chapter. A chapter summary should be no more than one page each.
Prepare for a class presentation. Groups will present major concepts from Os
Guinness’ book The Call.
Assignment:
Group 1: Chapters 1-6
Group 2: Chapters 7-12
Group 3: Chapters 13-19
Group 4: Chapters 20-26
Instructions:
 Summarize each assigned chapter for the class
 Prepare a typed hand-out for each classmate (no more than one page
per chapter)
 Define terms discussed in assigned chapter
 Be prepared to give personal or biblical examples to teach a concept.
2. Take the StrenthsFinder assessment online (allow about 45 minutes).
Contact Sheri Phillips at ext.7321for a code to access the assessment.
3. Assignment: Create a legacy time-line. Include accomplishments,
memorable moments, meaningful events and special memories. This legacy line
can be pictorial or literary. Make copies for classmates. Be prepared to discuss in
class.
1956
1960
1964
1968
1971
1975 etc.

Happy B-day
Accepted Jesus
HP infilling
Love Missions
Taught first class Met husband
Or
1956: Happy Birthday
1960: Accepted Jesus
1964: Received Baptism of Holy Spirit
1968: First fell in love with Missions
1971: Taught my first Sunday School class
1975 Met my husband while at college
Etc.
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS
Date__________________________Topic
Previous to first class So You Want to be A Social Worker: A
Primer for the Christian Student
5-30-06
Introduction, Syllabus, Overview.
Assignment Due
Outline of chapters
1,3,4, 6 and 8. (50
pts.)
5-30-06
Partner selection for class presentation:
The class will be divided into 4 groups.
Each group will present major concepts
from Os Guinness’ book The Call.
Assignment:
Group 1: Chapters 1-6
9-15-05
Group 2: Chapters 7-12
9-15-05
Group 3: Chapters 13-19
9-22-05
Group 4: Chapters 20-2
9-22-05
Group Discussion of Keith-Lucas book.
Open note Essay
Test
Lecture: What does it mean to be
compassionate? Compassion: A
Reflection... Chapter 1-3
6-6-06
6-13-06
Compassion: A Reflection… Chapter 4-9
Paper: Lessons from
the Field 100 pts.
Prior to class, read Os Guinness’ book,
The Call (25 points)
Groups 1 and 2 will
present major concepts of
book (see written
assignments)
100 pts.
Students will present legacy line to class
Present legacy line to
class
50 pts.
Group discussion: regarding chapters 1-12
6-20-06
Group discussion: regarding chapters 1326
Groups 3 and 4 will
present major concepts of
book (see written
assignments)
Class assignment: Identity poem
(details will be given in class)
Identity poem
25 pts.
Essay regarding
summary of “the Call”
due 50 pts.