Religion: Practical Studies

This course is a study of Biblical principles for restoring human beings to the holistic image of Christ. Using Jesus as the model, the course will cover many aspects of Christian discipleship including social relationships, lifestyle choices, ethical issues, stewardship, health and spiritual growth in faith, loving obedience, and dependence on Christ with the emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of Scripture in spiritual formation for ministry personally and professionally. A weekend retreat is required.

An introduction to Christian discipleship. With an emphasis on developing skills for practice, students examine biblical and theological foundations of discipleship as demonstrated in the ministry of Christ. Emphasis is given to the development of interpersonal skills for witnessing in a variety of traditional and non-traditional contexts, such as workplace and marketplace settings.. Students learn to prepare and present Bible studies and train laity for discipleship. Field education is required.

An introduction to the biblical and theological foundations, principles, and methods of Christ- centered preaching. Students review biblical hermeneutics for application to preaching. Attention is also given to personal preparation, sermon development and delivery, and biblical preaching in the Seventh-day Adventist and Black traditions. Special emphasis is placed on Christ as the content of biblical preaching.

An application of homiletical theory, designed to build students’ basic skills in biblical preaching. As a continuation of RP 341, this course requires students to deliver sermons for peer and teacher evaluation.

An introduction to biblical, theological, historical, and psychological foundations of religious education. Special attention is given to theoretical approaches and their critique and to religious education and practical procedures for implementing, maintaining, and evaluating religious learning in home, school, and church.

An introduction to the principles and practices of pastoral care and counseling. Students will examine systems in pastoral care and counseling from a biblical and theological perspective. The course will address visitation, ministering to the sick and their support system, and developmental family issues. Special attention is given to premarital, marital, divorce, and bereavement counseling. The pastor’s place in the mental health care network and appropriate circumstances for professional referral will also be considered.

An advanced course in pastoral care and counseling techniques. This course employs both in-class preparation and clinical practice. Students apply pastoral care and counseling intervention techniques in a clinical setting. Attention is given to family dynamics, conflict management and resolution, and crisis management, with particular reference to pastoral care in the black community. Assessment and referral methods are reviewed. Field education is required.

An examination of biblical, theological, and historical foundations of Christian ministry and their relevance to professional issues in ministry. The course is designed to lead students from critical reflection to informed practice. As a continuation of RP 132, this course utilizes a case-study approach to develop the role of the minister as grounded in the ministry of Christ. Emphasis is placed on servant-leadership, ministerial ethics, life management, denominational polity, and strategic planning. Field education and personality testing are required.

This course examines the church as a special religious non-profit organization with its own unique polity. The students will look at models of church organization found in the Bible for the church. Contemporary models (used by various Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal traditions), will be discussed with special attention given the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The students will be challenged to critically explore ways to effectively organize and lead a congregation in mission and ministry.

An introduction to public evangelism and church growth. With an emphasis on developing skills for practice, students examine the biblical and theological foundations of public evangelism and church growth as demonstrated in the ministry of Christ. Traditional and non-traditional approaches are explored. Special emphasis is given to the role of the laity in successful public evangelism and church growth. Field education is required.

An application of Christian ministry in the church setting, designed to build students’ basic skills in ministerial practice. As a continuation of RP 431, this course employs both in-class preparation and clinical participation in church administration, visitation, church finance, services of the church (e.g. baptism, wedding, funeral, communion, baby dedication), auxiliary ministries, and strategic planning. Attention is also given to resources for ministry, including technology. Field education is required.

An advanced course designed to provide students with pastoral experience in a church and/or community setting (e.g. nursing home, campus residence hall, hospice, shelter, correctional facility). Students will engage in a specific area of ministry that will be supervised and assessed. This practicum is structured to allow students to test their ministry skills in a real-life setting.

A course designed to provide students with instructional experience in a classroom setting. Students are assigned to the Department of Religion and Theology, Oakwood Adventist Academy, and other educational settings. Students will actively participate in classroom instruction that will be supervised and assessed. This practicum is structured to allow students to test their teaching skills in a real-life setting.

A course designed to provide students with pastoral care experience in hospitals and other clinical settings. Students will work as counselors and chaplains with families, patients, health care providers, and community organizations in diverse cultural and religious settings. A supervised group setting will provide opportunities for each student to reflect theologically about human crisis, personal illness, loss, and community conflicts. The experience will allow each student to reflect on her/his personal and pastoral identity in diverse pastoral care settings.

A practicum course designed to provide students with summer evangelistic experience in national or international field settings. Students will actively participate in assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of evangelistic meetings that will be supervised and assessed. Emphasis is placed on developing Christ-centered evangelistic preaching. The practicum will include instruction in public evangelism and church growth and may be taken in conjunction with RP 442.

A research project tailored to the student’s area of academic or professional interest. This course does not substitute for lecture courses.

A research project tailored to the student’s area of academic or professional interest. This course does not substitute for lecture courses.