Unit information: Creating New Congregations (Trinity & Baptist Colleges) in 2013/14

Unit name	Creating New Congregations (Trinity & Baptist Colleges)
Unit code	THRS20165
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Finamore
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	E11001 Continuing the Mission of Jesus or E11002 Integral Mission
School/department	Department of Religion and Theology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

The unit explores biblical, theological and historical foundations for congregation and church planting and critically examines reasons for this practice in contemporary culture. Students are introduced to a range of models and are encouraged to reflect on various missiological and ecclesiological issues. The unit offers an introduction to community surveying and congregational auditing processes in the context of church planting and explores the dynamics involved in church planting teams. It provides the elements of a strategy for creating new congregations and outlines the skills and resources which this demands.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The unit aims to:

1. develop a critical appreciation of the multi-faceted task of congregation and church planting in contemporary culture
2. give students confidence to be involved thoughtfully and strategically alongside others in planting new congregations

On completion of the unit students should have:

1. identified a rationale for planting new congregations and churches today and reasons for planting in particular situations;
2. developed an understanding of contemporary models of congregation and church planting and characteristics of effective planters;
3. set contemporary congregation and church planting in its historical context and reflected on biblical and theological resources available for planters;
4. outlined the questions a local church considering congregation or church planting might ask;
5. identified missiological and ecclesiological issues raised by and pertinent to the practice of congregation and church planting.

Teaching Information

This unit will involve two learning components. Firstly, 10 hours of contact time with tutors and practitioners involved in church and congregation planting contexts. Secondly, classroom based learning for a further 10 hours. The lectures will include video and case studies, and reflection will be encouraged on students' own experiences.

The unit will consist of 20 contact hours. The unit will include practical tasks, field visits and group work in addition to lectures and classroom-based learning. Contact hours are therefore significantly greater than for purely lecture-based units (normally 10 hours for a 10-credit unit at this level).

Assessment Information

Formative assessment will be through engagement in activities and case studies and participation in discussion and interaction.

Summative assessment will be through an essay of 2,500 words.

Reading and References

1. Frost, M. & A. Hirsch, The Shaping of Things to Come (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2004)
2. Lings, G. & S. Murray, Church Planting: Past, Present and Future (Cambridge: Grove Books, 2003)
3. Murray, S., Church Planting: Laying Foundations (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1998)
4. Murray, S., Planting Churches: A Framework for Practitioners (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2008)
5. Robinson, M., Planting Mission-shaped Churches Today (Crowborough: Monarch, 2006)
6. Stetzer, E., Planting Missional Churches (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006)