The role God intends for humanity in developing community and society as part of His created order will be explored. It will examine the theological doctrines of Creation, Fall, and Redemption, and the cultural mandate as the basis for humanity’s involvement in community. Students will engage in analytical discussions, research, and presentations on the theology of Christian social engagement.

Explores and analyzes development practices and principles based on ethically sound reasoning. Emphasis on developing ethically sound real-world applications is a focus of the course.

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of community service administration in our American system of government. The course will examine the foundations, organization, financing, staffing, and management of community service organizations. Emphasis will be placed on strategic planning and the control of operations.

A critique of historical faith-based approaches to community services among various historically vulnerable population groups such as the “dangerous classes,” the “perishing classes,” the working classes, and the immigrant population from an analysis of original source materials. Historical home missions conceived as moral influence, moral reform and social evangelism will be evaluated from theological and missiological perspectives. Students will write reflective papers integrating their historical, socio-theological and missional perspectives as they address ways in which historical approaches inform the application of Christianity to 21st century social issues.

The course will focus on the many ways social workers serve the church as leaders of congregational life, of ministry to neighborhoods locally and globally, and of advocacy for social justice. This course will provide a lens through which students can see congregational social work as a context of social work practice.

A critique of the rationale, nature and practice of holistic mission in relation to the mission of God. The course explores practical implications of the intersection of gospel-centered witness, the kingdom of God, and the mission of God. Students will evaluate evangelical formulations as expressed in the Lausanne Covenant, Wheaton Consultation, the Manila Manifesto, the Cape Town Commitment, and other resources that address the church in response to human needs. Students will create personal faith and contextualized action statements on a variety of issues including evangelism and social responsibility, reconciliation and redemption, poverty, inequality, social justice, holistic and integral mission, peoples at-risk, social change and transformation.

This graduate course focuses on having students creating a fictional community service plan and addressing all legal and ethical obligations that would apply. Students will draft an ethical code for the organization and create a business plan, and prepare a budget that could be presented to a fictional church congregation that would be sponsoring the community service.

This course focuses on development of effective communication skills as they relate to Faith Community Services relationships and professional practice. Learn to apply Biblical standards to practice especially in regard to diverse populations. Cultural sensitivity and professional self-awareness will also be components of the course.