ALLIANCE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Instructor: Stephen Bailey
Associate Professor of Missiology
Tel# 845-770-5755
Stephen.Bailey@nyack.edu
IC606 Field Project in Christian Witness
Spring 2011
COURSE DESCRIPTON
This course is designed to provide students with an experience in a missional situation that will
require them to draw on their academic studies at ATS in the M.A. in Intercultural Studies degree
program and / or the M.Div. degree with a Missions track. The course will guide students in the
use of their personal, social-cultural, biblical and theological skills as they engage non-Christian
individuals and groups in the world. Students will spend at least five hours a week serving
individuals who are not followers of Jesus Christ with the intention of providing a witness to
them of the gospel that is appropriate, sensitive and effective.
LEARNING GOALS
1. To enable students to understand the dynamics of religious conversion from social, political
and spiritual levels through reading assignments and class sessions.
2. To enable students to learn the dynamics of evangelism through appropriate, sensitive and
effective witness to the Christian faith among people outside the Christian faith.
3. To enable students to gain experience and improve their ability in providing a Christian
witness among people outside the Christian faith.
4. Information Literacy Goal: To enable students to access needed information
effectively and efficiently and implement well designed research on the dynamics of
Christian witness.
COURSE CORRELATION
IC606 fits into the third phase, (the Ministry Phase), of the ATS model of ministerial formation.
The goal of this course is to enable the student to see the human factors that shape the church and
the implications of these factors for the ministry and mission of the Church.
REQUIRED READING
Adeney, Frances S. Graceful Evangelism: Christian Witness in a Complex World. Baker
Academic. 2010. Pp. 190. ISBN: 978-0-8010-3185-4.
Raymond Fung. “The Kingdom of God as Strategy for Mission.” International Review of
Mission. Vol. 68, No. 270, April 1979, Pp. 102 – 108. PDF File on I Drive.
Bob Goldman. “Are we Accelerating or Inhibiting Movements to Christ?” Mission Frontiers.
September to October, 2006. Pp. 8 – 13. PDF File on I Drive.
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Kosuke Koyama. “‘Extend Hospitality to Strangers’ – A Missiology of Theologia Crucis.”
International Review of Mission. Vol. 82, No. 327, Pp. 283 – 295. PDF File on I Drive.
Joon-Sik Park. “Hospitality as Context for Evangelism.” Missiology: An International Review.
Vol. 30, No. 3, July 2002, Pp. 385 – 395. PDF File on I Drive.
Rick Richardson. Reimagining Evangelism. InterVarsity Press. 2006. Pp. 167.
Tyler Wigg-Stevenson. “Jesus is not a Brand: Why it is so Dangerous to Make
Evangelism Another Form of Marketing.” in Christianity Today, Vol. 53 No. 1
January, 2009. Pp. 20-26. PDF File on I Drive.
Lenoard Sweet. “Pay Attention! Every Bush is Burning: The Semiotics of Evangelism.” in
Review and Expositor, 105, Fall, 2008. Pp. 595 – 605. PDF File on I Drive.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS
1. Class and Ministry Attendance and Participation: This course serves as a lab for
acquiring skills and experience in Christian witness. Each student will serve in a Christian or
community service program that will put him/her into a situation of Christian witness for at
least 45 hours during the semester. The service program you choose does not have to be
church based but it must put you into contact with non-Christians in away that allows you to
develop relationships. You will indicate the dates and number of hours of service in your
Journal assignment described below. There will only be six class sessions during the
Semester (see the schedule for class below). Your attendance at these six classes will be part
of this assignment’s grade. 40% of your grade
Grading Rubric
Percentage of 45 hours of service meeting the criteria above
And attendance at six class sessions
=
100%
2. Journal – Each student will keep a journal on her or his experience in Christian witness
during the semester. There should be an entry for each week that indicates the date and
number of hours of service. The journal will serve as your attendance record for your
ministry service. Each entry should indicate a record of what you have done in prayer, in
service, in listening and building relationship and in testimony to the person / people you are
witnessing to. List the names of people you are engaging and how you are praying for them
and for opportunities to witness to them. You should record what you are learning about
Christian witness each week. Each entry should be from 150 – 200 words in length. This will
be handed into the professor during the last week of the semester. This assignment is due at
the start of the 13th week class session. 20% of your grade
Grading Rubric
Accuracy of Journal
=
10%
Neatness / Formatting of Journal
=
10%
Indications of regular prayer, service, listening and
=
80%
building relationship and testimony
3. Reading reports: Each student will submit a one page (for The Study of Evangelism Book,
you may need 2 or 3 pages, summarize each article in it with a couple short lines) interaction
paper on each of the required readings listed above. Use the form at the end of the syllabus.
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The papers are due on the date indicated in the class schedule Bring your papers to class as
we will be discussing the readings that day. 20% of grade
Grading Rubric
Formatting
=
10%
Thoroughness of Summary of Main Ideas in the Reading =
70%
Quality of Interaction
=
20%
4. Reflection Paper – Each student will write a six to eight page reflection paper on their
experience in ministry. The student should describe their ministry context and assignment, do
a self evaluation of their ability to follow through with each of the steps in intentional
Christian witness as outlined below and share lessons learned during the semester about
Christian witness in general. Evaluate the various approaches you used in Christian witness
and some of the ones you read about too. The papers are to be double spaced with a left
margin at the left, right, top and bottom of the page. Use only Times New Roman size 12
font. The paper are due at the 13th week class session. See the class schedule below. 20% of
grade
Grading Rubric
Formatting
Description of ministry context
Self Evaluation
Evaluation of methods of evangelism
=
=
=
=
EVALUATION
Class / Ministry Attendance
Reading Reports
Journal
Reflection Paper
40%
20%
10%
10%
40%
40%
20%
20%
GRADING SCALE
Grades are assigned based on your competency in performing the assignments referred to in this
syllabus.
A (4.0)
B+ (3.3)
B- (2.7)
C (2.0)
93-100
88-89
80-82
73-77
A- (3.7)
B (3.0)
C+ (2.3)
C- (1.7)
90-92
83-87
78-79
70-72
D+ (1.3) 68-69
D- (0.7) 60-62
D (1.0) 63-67
F (0.0) 0-60
LATE WORK
All written work is due by the beginning of class on the date assigned. Work will be accepted up
to two weeks late however 10 points will be deducted from the grade on late work. Except in the
case of serious illness or emergency extensions will not be given.
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Class Schedule and Suggested Reading Schedule
Week 1
January 25
-
Professor Bailey – Syllabus, Introduction to Basic Steps in Evangelism
Week 2
-
Christian Witness – Hospitality for Christian Witness
Reading and Reflection paper Due - Reimagining Evangelism
February 1
Week 5
February 22
Guest Speaker – My Experience Christian Witness
Reading and Reflection Papers due on - Kosuke Koyama, Joon-Sik Park,
Tyler Wigg-Stevenson and Lenoard Sweet
Week 7
March 8
-
Guest Speaker – My Experience Christian Witness
Reading and Reflection papers due on - Raymond Fung and Bob Goldman
Week 13
April 26
-
Professor Bailey Class Discussion on Readings – Reading Reports are Due
Reading and Reflection paper due on - The Study of Evangelism
Journal is Due
Reflection Paper is Due
Week 14
-
Professor Bailey Class Discussion on Christian Witness Experiences
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Appendix
Basic Steps in Christian Witness
I use the word witness in place of evangelism because the word evangelism has way too
much baggage attached to it (through no fault of its own!). Witness helps me remember
that it is only my job to be light and salt in the world and to be ready to give a reason for
the hope within me. It is God who saves people from their sins and their circumstances.
Mission is always the work of God. I believe that Christians are given a role in
witnessing / mission because it is an important part of our spiritual journey (discipleship).
Christian Witness should be done in terms of:
 lives of grace, truth and love – shaped by hospitality
 deeds of service, justice and mercy
 words of dialogue, testimony, and intercession
 signs of the kingdom through the Power (Authority) of the Spirit & Prayer
Many Christians are comfortable living a life of grace, truth and love, and doing deeds of
service, justice and mercy as the way to Witness to the gospel. These are important and
necessary steps in all Christian witness. But the gospel of the Kingdom also needs
testimony (words) and the demonstration of the powerful presence and action of God in
our midst (signs). Without words and signs Christian witness is likely to have the impact
of an intriguing street sign that points nowhere and which lacks authenticity. Thing to
remember about testimony (words) however is that what sets apart words about the
gospel is the power and authority that they accompanied by. Consider that in the gospels
what made the teaching of Jesus really unique was the authority (power) that
accompanied it. Notice the connection Paul makes between his words, his life and the
power of the Spirit of God when he writes, “our gospel came to you not simply with
words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know
how we lived among you for your sake” (I Thess. 1:5 NIV).
Lives of grace and deeds of mercy are great but in my experience in Laos, many Lao
Buddhists only congratulated these as acts of merit making. That was a good start. A
foundation of moral integrity and service provides the basis for a strong relationship. But
another important element in Christian witness is the ability of the witness to listen and
ask good questions. Listening and asking good questions can help us know where the
person (or people) is in their journey with God. Always assume that God’s Spirit has
already been at work drawing them towards himself. Whether they are in touch with that
or not is another question. In every conversion God manifests himself. There is always a
spiritual event / transaction that takes place. Sometimes dreams, miracles or simple
answers to prayer accompany it. Other times it is the overwhelming presence of God’s
love and acceptance, but either way God shows up in some powerful way. It’s a sign of
the Kingdom being at hand.
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Here are some basic steps in Christian witness.
1) Begin every day by asking God to give you an opportunity to witness to someone
about Jesus and his Kingdom. This creates an expectation in us that makes us alert
to identify how God is working in the people we meet along the way.
2) Ask God to give you spiritual discernment to know who is ready for your witness
about Jesus and His Kingdom. Every person is on a spiritual journey. Some
people are walking towards Jesus and His Kingdom and some away Him. At
certain points in our lives we are more ready to hear than at other times. We need
discernment to sense the right timing.
3) Build relationships of open communication and trust with the people around you
through your life and deeds of kindness.
4) Listen to people’s stories and ask them a lot of questions about themselves and
their situation. Earn the right to speak by listening as long as it takes. Listen for
needs in their lives that you might be able to help address and to pray for.
5) When they are ready to hear, or better yet, when they ask you to share your story,
tell them about your family, the experiences that have made you who you are and
let them know what God has done in your life and what Jesus means to you.
6) When you discern that he /she is ready, let them know that you are praying for
them and the needs in his/her life. At some point offer to pray with them right
there. You will be surprised to find that almost everyone is open to having people
they trust pray for them. Don’t forget to ask them to pray for you and let them
know the needs in your own life. Remember you are on a spiritual journey too.
7) As people become more interested in your spiritual life share with them. If they
show little interest in spiritual things then wait and continue to pray for them and
to love them. When you do share be sure to use narrative as much as possible.
Story communicates more effectively (whether they are Biblical stories, your
testimony or stories of what God has done in the lives of others) because they
allow people to find places to identify with easily. Asking people to accept truth
statements before they have given their lives over to Christ is normally not going
to go anywhere.
8) At some point most people who are seeking God feel like they need to take a
more concrete step of faith – and they do. You may even need to ask them if they
would like to follow Jesus. Encourage them to pray themselves - to repent, accept
the forgiveness of God and to invite Jesus take control of their life. Encourage
them to find Christians to worship with and to discuss God’s Word with.
9) Follow Up with people who have prayed to become followers of Jesus by
connecting them with people who can study the Word and pray together. Invite
them into some Christian service effort.
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IC606 Field Project in Christian Witness
Reading Reflection Sheet
Name: _________________________________________
ATS Box #________
Title of Reading:__________________________________________
Date:_____________
Percentage of Reading Completed: ___________
Key Ideas
Most Useful Thing You Learned
Your Question/s
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