Examines and evaluates various theories and practices used to appropriate the message of the Christian Faith in the local context with a special focus on the globalization and pluralistic context of the twenty-first century. The student will develop strategies for assessing a particular context and bringing the Gospel into constructive conversation with it.

The nature of theological education within the local missional community is examined. It explores and analyzes the intersection of communicative action, the relationality of the Triune God, and the interpersonal dynamic of adult learning, allowing the missional leader to create democratic and generative spaces for theological training.

Students assess different approaches to integrating spirituality with missionality in current and past literature. They explore various forms of spiritual development and soul-care that encourage participants in both their spiritual depth and missional practice. Students experience creative spiritual practices and develop customized spiritual development plans for their missional context.

Students evaluate ways in which a theological understanding of redemption, reconciliation, restoration and renewal shape the Christian believer's everyday missional practice. They will explore various forms of disciplemaking that lead to equipping believers to follow Jesus and serve in various facets of the mission of God in the world. The course envisions living missionally in context through culture care, spiritual care, social care, creativity care, creation care, and thought care. Emphasis is placed on developing disciplemaking processes that produce missional believers who embrace the renewal of all things -- spiritual reconciliation with God, restoring the environment, transforming communities, and renewing cultures by offering a God-centered, holistic understanding of the gospel.

Examines the New Testaments models of contextualization and bring them into theological conversation with the student’s lived experience of context. The student will evaluate how these Biblical accounts might offer a faithful pattern of missional engagement that can serve as a model for mission today.

The course establishes an understanding of how to most effectively make disciples within one's cultural context. Students develop a deeper awareness of the culture around them, or a future ministry context, while building on their own experience as disciplemakers. Each student is expected to present an effective strategy of disciplemaking within a particular context of ministry.