MIN560 GLOBAL IMPACT (ONLINE)
Summer 2015
Instructor: Graham McKeague
Phone: 616.222.1559
E-Mail: graham.mckeague@cornerstone.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to help students develop a biblical theology of mission that shapes how the Church
intersects with the 21st Century world. Students will consider the essence of Mission Dei (the Mission of God) and
Mission Ecclesiae (the Mission of the Church) as rooted in the biblical narrative. Simultaneously, students will
consider global trends and the implications of those trends for life and ministry. Students will examine the validity of
traditional and emerging models for global missions in light of the above.
COURSE OUTCOMES
At the conclusion of this course students should be able to:
1) Articulate a biblical theology of mission
2) Discern the global implications for them personally and for their ministry calling
3) Use critical reflection skills to study and improve their ability to minister in relation to the globe
4) Incorporate a missional perspective into their ongoing theological reflection
5) Understand traditional and emerging models of global missions and be able to critique missional efforts
they encounter.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS
1. Texts (4)
Borthwick, P. (2012). Western Christians in global mission: What’s the role of the North American Church?
Downer’s Grove: Intervarsity Press.
Livermore, D. (2012). Serving with eyes wide open: Doing short-term missions with cultural intelligence.
Grand Rapids: Baker Books. Updated Edition
Newbigin, L. (1995). The open secret: An introduction to the theology of mission. Revised edition. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans.
Sanneh, L. (2008). Disciples of all nations: Pillars of world Christianity. New York: Oxford University Press.
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2. Course Pack Reading: reading provided in Moodle for each section of the course to supplement the
textbooks and help frame the overall class discussion.
3. DVD on Reserve in Miller Library: Hotel Rwanda DVD (2 day reserve)
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS/BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allen, R. (1962). Missionary methods: St Paul’s or ours? Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Bosch, D. J. (1991). Transforming mission: Paradigm shifts in theology of mission. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Dearborn, T. (2003). Short-term missions workbook: From mission tourists to global citizens. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press.
Dooling, R. (1994). White man’s grave. New York: Picador.
Earley, P. C. & Ang, S. 2003. Cultural intelligence: Individual interactions across cultures. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press.
Engel, J. & Dyrness, W. (2000). Changing the mind of missions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Escobar, S. (2003). The new global mission: The gospel from everywhere to everyone. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press.
Goheen, M. W. (2014). Introducing Christian mission today: Scripture, history, and issues. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press.
Guder, D. L. (1998). Missional church: A vision for the sending of the church in North America. Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Jenkins, P. (2002). The next Christendom. The coming of global Christianity. New York: Oxford University Press.
Larkin, W. & J. Williams. (1998). Mission in the New Testament. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Livermore, D. (2004). American or American’t: A critical analysis of Western training to the world. Evangelical
Missions Quarterly, 40(4), 458-66.
Piper, J. (1993). Let the nations be glad: The supremacy of God in missions. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.
Pirolo, N. (1991). Serving as senders: How to care for your missionaries. San Diego: Emmaus Road International.
Ramadachandra, V. (1996). The recovery of mission: Beyond the pluralist paradigm. Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Sanneh, L. & Carpenter, J. eds. (2005). The changing face of Christianity: Africa, the West, and the world. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Singer, P. (2004). One world: The ethics of globalization. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Stackhouse, M., Dearborn, T., & Paeth, S. (2000). The local church in a global era: Reflections for a new century. Grand
Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Telford, T. (2001). Today’s all-star missions churches: Strategies to help your church get into the game. Grand
Rapids: Baker Books.
Van Gelder, C., & Zscheile, D. J. (2011). The missional church in perspective: Mapping trends and shaping the
conversation. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Walls, A. F. & Ross, C. (2008). Mission in the twenty-first century: Exploring the five marks of global mission. Maryknoll,
NY: Orbis Books.
Webber, R. (2003). Ancient-future evangelism: Making your church a faith-forming community. Grand Rapids: Baker
Books.
Winter, R. & Hawthorne, S. (1999). Perspectives on the world Christian movement. Pasadena, CA: William Carey
Library.
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Wright, C. J. H. (2006). The mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s grand narrative. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.
Yohannan, K.P. (2003). Revolution in world missions. Carrollton, TX: Gospel for Asia.
Yun, B. & Hattaway, P. (2002). The heavenly man. Grand Rapids: Kregel.
ONLINE EDUCATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS
The on-line courses were designed according to the learning paradigm. This paradigm shifts the focus from teaching
to learning and places greater authority and responsibility upon the learner. The role of a course instructor is not
primarily to impart their knowledge, but to create valuable learning experiences utilizing diverse resources and
educational methods. Success within this paradigm and in on-line learning requires significant student initiative,
discipline, and commitment. On-line learning is not for everyone, since it assumes greater levels of student
ownership and engagement in the teaching and learning process.
INTERACTIVITY REQUIREMENT
Threaded discussions are a required aspect of all graduate level on-line courses. Each course will differ in the
frequency and nature of interaction. There are two types of on-line interaction: synchronous and asynchronous.
Synchronous interaction consists of on-line discussions that occur in real time and at the same time. Asynchronous
interactions consist of on-line interaction over an extended, and sometimes defined, period of time.
There are two types of on-line posts: original posts and response posts. Original posts should include the student’s
reflections on the theoretical content, meaning, relationships of ideas, and implications of course material. Original
posts should be insightful, inquisitive, and reflective in nature. Typically, original posts will be crafted as responses
to a set of questions posed by the course instructor, questions designed to foster reflection and discussion. Response
posts are offered in reply to the original posts of peers and should seek clarification for deeper understanding
and/or extend the level of critical reflection on the topic of discussion.
All on-line interactions should be substantive, succinct, and grammatically accurate. By substantive, we do not mean
extended descriptions of personal opinion and personal experience. Nor do we mean comments that lack coherence
and critical reflection. By substantive, we mean comments that are reflective and insightful, coherent, theoretically
informed, and link theory to practice. By succinct, we mean that on-line posts should be between 120-160 words,
unless otherwise defined within the given course. Finally, all posts should be grammatically clean, which requires
editing before the post is submitted. The interactivity grade for the course will be determined based on the number
of posts as well as the character of the post (i.e., substantive, succinct, and grammatically accurate).
EVALUATION
Student Evaluation: The final grade will be determined in light of the percentages indicated next to the
assignments above.
Grading Scale
A 97-100
A- 95-96
B+ 92-94
B 88-91
B- 85-87
C+ 80-84
C 75-79
C- 70-74
F 0-69
Late Work:
Student work submitted after the posted due date without prior approval from the course instructor will receive
grade reduction according to the following:
- Within the first week after the due date:
One full letter grade reduction for the assignment (e.g., "A" will become a "B").
- After the first week but before the end of the second week:
Two full letter grade reduction for the assignment (e.g., "A" will become a "C").
- After two weeks beyond the due date: "F" grade for the assignment.
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ASSIGNMENTS
1. Critical Analysis Papers: (25%) Read all required texts according to the schedule listed at the end of the syllabus.
Write two (2), 6-8 page critical analysis papers about the course readings as indicated below. Papers should not
simply be a summary of the material read, and they are more than just a “journal entry.” Rather, they should be
rich, critical reflections of the readings and related content as it pertains to you personally and to your current
or anticipated ministry. Make connections between class readings and your experiences where possible. Papers
should include an introduction, thesis, citations, and conclusion.
Papers must be posted in Moodle by midnight on the due date. Post your paper by doing the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Go into the Course on Moodle
Click on appropriate Reflection Paper
Click on “Add Submission.”
Add the file and then click on “Save Changes.”
Then also post your paper in the Online Discussion that relates to that topic.
To read other group members papers, go to the appropriate Online Discussion forum. Click on your
classmate’s “post” and click on the attachment.
The two critical analysis papers are as follows:
#1: Biblical Theology of Mission (Newbigin)
--Paper that draws upon the Newbigin book, course pack materials, and your experiences to answer the
question, “What is the biblical and theological basis for the mission of the Church?”
--Due May 15th
#2: 21st Century Realities (Sanneh)
--Paper that draws upon the Sanneh book, course pack materials, and your experiences to answer the
question, “Outline the major global issues for the Church to wrestle with as it participates in mission today.
What can be learned from the history of missions in approaching these issues?”
--Due June 12th
The following rubric will be used for grading your two (2) reflection papers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Critical reflection on the readings—rehearsal of content (30 pts possible)
Connection between reading materials and personal & ministry experience (25 pts possible)
Overall coherence and cogency of paper (25 pts possible)
Structure of paper: length, intro, thesis relating to this week’s topic (listed in syllabus), conclusion,
citations, syntax, spelling & grammar (20 pts possible)
2. Online Discussion Forums: (20%) On select weeks, you will be required to engage in asynchronous online
discussions with other students in the course. Discussions will be related to the course readings and to one
another’s critical reflection papers. During these weeks, you must make at least three posts—two original posts
arising from the reading of your colleagues’ papers, and one “responsive” post rising from the posts of others.
The original posts should be substantive in nature (e.g. reflecting on theory from the course content and/or
reflecting on the relationship of the readings to missional practice), limited to 75-150 words, and crafted in
response to the general topics listed below. The responsive posts should also be substantive in nature, limited to
75-150 words, and should be crafted in response to the original posts of peers.
The online interaction is a very important dimension of this course. You will be evaluated both upon the
substance and coherence of your posts and the degree to which you encourage and engage with others’ posts.
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Constructive, critical, and respectful interaction about one another’s ideas is expected and encouraged.
There will be three (3) discussion threads spread throughout the course in which you need to participate. The
online discussion forums are intended to simulate live, classroom discussion.
To get into the Discussion threads:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go into the Course on Moodle
Click on appropriate “Online Discussion”
Click on “Add A New Discussion Post”
Write your post & then click “Post to Forum”
The three (3) Discussion Threads are as follows:
#1: “What is the biblical and theological basis for the mission of the Church?” (Newbigin)
 Themes from one another’s Newbigin papers
--At least 2 original posts by May 20th; at least one additional response post by May 22nd
#2: “Outline the major global issues for the Church to wrestle with as it participates in mission
today. What can be learned from the history of missions in approaching these issues?” (Sanneh;
Hotel Rwanda movie)
 Themes from one another’s Sanneh papers and Hotel Rwanda
--At least 2 original posts by June 17th; at least one additional response post by June 19th
#3: Local Church & Mission: What are the main ways in which the local church can participate in global
mission in the 21st Century World? (Livermore)
 What role (if any) should short-term missions play in the local church and its work in global
missions?
 What aspects of our culture should the church protest? What should we embrace/reflect?
 How might Cultural Intelligence (CQ) be a useful tool for missions?
--At least 2 original posts by July 22nd; at least one additional response post by July 24th
4. Group Project: (20%) Having read the Borthwick book on the role of the Western Church in mission, this
assignment will ask you to work in a group of 3 or 4 people to prepare an online presentation for the class
(Powerpoint, Google Slides, etc).
You will be expected to present your work to answer the following question: “What role should the Western
Church have within the context of global Christianity in the 21st century?” The grading for this assignment
will be for the group as a whole based upon your presentation. Group assignments and more details will be
presented in Moodle shortly after the course has begun.
--Due July 10th
Your grade will be determined by the following:
--Your ability to clearly articulate the role of the Western Church in global mission (40 pts)
--Clarity of ideas presented and connection to assigned readings (40 pts)
--Presentation and format of slides/other content (20 pts)
4. Final Project: (30%) Your final project will critically examine a global missions initiative in light of your
biblical theology of mission. The paper should be 10-15 pages and should describe your biblical theology of
mission applied to a real-life case study. Organize your project as follows:
Part One: Your Biblical Theology of Mission
Write a summary of your biblical theology of mission. This may have some common themes from what you
wrote in your 1st reflection paper, but you will have developed and refined your theology since the beginning of
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the semester. Reflect upon class content (readings, discussions, etc.) as you wrestle with your theology. In the
process, seek to integrate a holistic theology of global mission that includes not only traditional “missions” but
the realities of life and ministry in the Twenty-first century. This portion of your paper should be 1/3 to 1/2
of the final project. References to relevant, published materials are expected.
Part Two: Your Theology of Mission Applied to a Real-life Case Study
In the second section, employ your theology of mission to evaluate a practical, real-life missions effort. You may
be personally involved in this ministry, but it is not required. You might choose something specific like a shortterm missions project that’s being conducted, a curriculum being used in your church to teach missions, or a
partnership between a local church and their community. Or you may choose to more broadly examine the
practices of a missions agency, the work/ministry of a specific missionary, your church’s missions practice, or a
missions team ministering in a certain part of the world. Your examination should reflect the knowledge and
skills that you have developed in this course, as well as draw upon the course readings and additional collateral
reading. Begin Part Two by giving a description of the real-life case study. Then examine the strengths and
weaknesses of the initiative in light of your theology of missions.
Your paper should include a cover page, page numbers, and a bibliography/reference list.
Your grade will be determined by the following:
--Your ability to clearly articulate and defend your theology of mission (40 pts)
--Evaluation of a real-life mission setting using your theology of mission (40 pts)
--Demonstration of graduate-level writing practices. Please use footnotes or in-text notes, not endnotes,
when listing references in your paper (20 pts)
--The Final Project is due August 7th
Technology Support
Students experiencing technological difficulty in accessing a course and/or negotiating technological aspects of the
course are encouraged to contact the Cornerstone University Informational Technology Center. IT staff can be
reached at 616-222-1510 or e-mail to technologysupport@cornerstone.edu.
Papers and Projects
Papers in Bible and Theology courses should be formatted and sources documented according to the GRTS Guideline
for Papers. This guideline is based on the Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style and the SBL Handbook of Style.
Papers in Ministry and Counseling courses should be formatted and sources documented according to APA Style.
To access these style guides in Eagles Nest
Go to portal.cornerstone.edu
Select GRTS
The GRTS Guideline for Papers and APA Style Guide are in the Quick Links menu under "Academic Writing
Resources"
Inclusive Language
As noted in the GRTS academic catalog, writing and discussion should reflect the GRTS policy on inclusive language
when referring to other people, regardless of their gender, nationality, culture, social class or religion.
Email Communication
Email is the official means for communication with every enrolled student. Students are expected to receive and
read those communications in a timely fashion. Since the seminary will send official communications to enrolled
students by email using their Cornerstone University email addresses (i.e., first.last@cornerstone.edu), students are
expected to check their official email addresses on a frequent and consistent basis to remain informed of seminary
communications.
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Student Course Evaluation
In the last week of each resident course, all students are expected to complete a course evaluation (IDEA Form).
This paper-based assessment form will be distributed and completed in class. In Ministry Residency, Counseling
Practicum and Counseling Internships, and for all online courses, student evaluations will be completed within
Moodle (see final week of course in Moodle). These assessments provide an opportunity for students to offer
feedback to professors on the quality of the learning experience, feedback that informs future offerings of the
course. More information about these evaluation processes will be provided late in the given semester.
Copyright Violation and Plagiarism
Copyright violation and plagiarism have serious ramifications for Cornerstone/GRTS students, both legally and
ethically. Unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can
result in criminal charges and fines. Plagiarizing another’s words or ideas (passing them off as your own) can
result in loss of grade or failure. For a fuller explanation of these issues or of CU’s copyright policy, see Miller
Library’s website (under Library Services menu)—“Copyright, Fair Use, & Plagiarism”:
http://library.cornerstone.edu/content.php?pid=125720&sid=1079827
Disability Accommodation
The University will make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, in compliance with Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The purpose of
accommodation is to provide equal access to educational opportunities to students affected by disabilities, and the
university does not intend that the standards be altered, nor that the essential elements of programs or courses be
changed. Students having documented disabilities may apply for accommodations through Student Disability
Services (SDS), which is part of the Cornerstone University Learning Center located in Miller Hall on the main
campus.
In the event that students have questions regarding whether they are eligible for accommodations, how they might
provide appropriate documentation of disabilities, or how they might handle a disagreement with a professor over
questions of accommodation, the Director of Academic Support should be contacted immediately at (616) 222-1596
or via email at learning.center@cornerstone.edu. Further information about applying for and utilizing
accommodations is provided in the Student Handbook and on the university’s website.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK
OF…
FOCUS
May
4-8
Introduction
May
11-15
Biblical Theology of
Mission
May
18-22
May
25-29
ASSIGNMENT
--Introductory Week: Introduce yourself in Moodle; complete intro
survey; begin reading in Newbigin book.
-- Finish reading Newbigin; Write & Post Reflection Paper #1 – due May
15
-- Read each other’s Reflection Papers and discuss online
(Online Discussion #1)
21st Century Realities
-- Read Sanneh book & Unit 2 Moodle resources
June
1-5
--Watch Hotel Rwanda (DVD available on reserve in CU Miller Library)
June
8-12
--Write & Post Reflection Paper #2 – due June 12
June
15-19
--Read and discuss each other’s reflection papers and Hotel Rwanda
(Online Discussion #2)
June
22-26
June 29
- July 3
July
6-10
21st Century Church:
Part 1 – Global Church
July
13-17
July 2024
21st Century Church:
Part 2 – Local Church
July 2731
Aug
3-7
-- Read Borthwick book & Unit 3 Moodle resources
-- Work on Group Project
-- Group Project - due July 10
--Read Livermore book & Unit 4 Moodle resources
--Discuss the local church and mission online (Online Discussion #3)
Work on final project
--Submit Final Project due by August 7