Instructors: the Rev. Dr. Lynn Bujnak and the Rev. Dr. Nash Garabedian, Jr.

Lynn can be reached: 985-4494 (w), 780-1702 (h) email: lynbjk@ime.net

Nash can be reached: 646-5702 email: nash@cybertours.com

Course Description: Training for lay and ordained leadership in the church often focuses on the development of skills and techniques. Yet, ministry is so much more! It is also art, a creative reflection of our life with God. This course takes participants to the heart of ministry, our relationship with God. Out of this center, we will explore three renewed models: biblical approaches to leadership, finding God in the midst of conflict, and caring for ourselves through spiritual practice.

This course may be substituted for IT 1003

Course Goals:

• To introduce a variety of approaches to spiritual formation and their link to the practice of ministry.
• To develop awareness of issues of power and authority within congregational life and within the pastor/leader.
• To explore leadership models as they apply to ministry.
• To understand dynamics of congregational conflict and approaches to resolution.
• To explore the potential for spiritual growth through conflict.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1978.

Hahn, Celia Allison. Growing in Authority, Relinquishing Control. Alban Institute, 1997.

Leas, Speed B. Discover Your Conflict Management Style. The Alban Institute, 1994.

Olsen, Charles M. Transforming Church Boards Into Communities of Spiritual Leaders.

The Alban Institute, 1995.

Oswald, Roy. Power Analysis of a Congregation. The Alban Institute, 1981.

Palmer, Parker. Leading from Within. Washington D.C.: The Servant Leadership

School, 1990.

Rice, Howard. The Pastor as Spiritual Guide. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1998.

Grading for this course will be in accordance with the seminary policy set forth in the student handbook. Students wishing to take this course "pass - fail" must notify the instructors in writing before the third week in the semester.

Course requirements will be weighted according to the following:

• Three 6-8 page section papers (25% each)
• Class participation and weekly reflection papers (25%)

Copies of all assignments must be turned in to both instructors.

This session will provide and overview of the course, including a review of the

syllabus, goals, schedule and assignments. In addition, we will use material from

spiritual autobiography and spiritual type to begin to develop the key premise of

this course: our relationship with God is at the heart of ministry.

Assignments:

• Read Celebration of Discipline pp. 1-95.
• Choose one of the disciplines outlined by Foster in your reading that intrigues you

and write a 1 page reflection on how that discipline "calls" to you (or disturbs

you).

• Complete the MBTI inventory and turn in. (Will be explored in session 5)

"Thirsting for God" can be seen as an integral element of our heritage as God’s

people. This class will explore such questions as: What is spiritual formation?

Why is spiritual formation important for ministry? Lecture, role play and

discussion will form the basis for this class.

Assignments:

• Read In Celebration of Discipline pp. 96-171.
• Read assigned article Lively Music, Living God by David M. Stowe
• Write a 1 page reflection paper: How is celebration a part of your life with God?

The art of ministry, music, creativity and expression are places where our life with

God and the spiritual disciplines meet. Our guests for this session will be John and

June Baboian. They will help us experience the intersection of spirituality and the

arts through selections of jazz, blues, and vocals.

Assignments:

• Read Transforming Church Boards by Olsen intro. through p. 109
• Outline a spiritual formation process which you are willing to commit to following

for the remaining weeks of our class. This will not be a graded assignment,

but be prepared to offer your process in written format for feedback by your

peers and the instructors.

• Based on the material explored thus far, write a 6-8 page paper outlining your

ideas on fostering spiritual renewal and growth in your local congregation.

-or-

Choose a church committee on which your serve (or have served). Write 6-8

pages about how that committee might be transformed a la Olsen’s theory. What

resistance might you encounter? What gifts might you discover?

Spiritual formation can take place in a variety of ways in the Church. We will

explore a variety of models for nurturing the spiritual well-being of a congregation.

In addition, time will be set aside for small group discussion on written

assignments.

Assignments:

• Read articles and reserve readings on the MBTI as assigned

(Please Understand Me by Keirsey and Bates, Prayer and Temperament by

Michael and Norrisey)

Each class member will identify his/her personality type through the Myers-Briggs

Personality Type Indicator. Presentations on the relationship between personality

type and leadership style as well as personality type and prayer will set the

foundation for an exploration of leadership models.

Assignments:

• Read Growing in Authority, Relinquishing Control by Hahn pp. 1-42, 110-145
• Read Leading from Within by Parker Palmer
• Read chapter 10 (pp. 171-189) in The Pastor as Spiritual Guide by Rice
• Write a 1-2 page reflection paper answering the question: How would your sense

of ministry (lay or ordained) change if your primary identity was care of souls?

How would that identity influence your understanding of your authority?

What is authority and where does it come from? Celia’s Hahn’s 4 paths of

authority in the gospels will be examined. The changing role of the pastor will

be discussed.

Assignments:

• Reserved readings including assigned selections from: How Your Church Family

Works by Peter Steinke (and) Managing Church Conflict by Hugh Halverstadt

• Using Oswald’s Power Analysis of a Congregation, pick one or more of Oswald’s

types of power (coalitional, reputational, communicational, structural) and

describe an incident where you used this type of power. How was God present?

Assignment length: 2 pages.

Understanding issues of power, authority and group dynamics is essential in

ministry. Systems theory will be introduced with material by Oswald,

Halverstadt, and Steinke. Presentations will include video and case studies.

Assignments:

• Write a case study (6-8 pages)of an incident in your home congregation. Analyze

what happened using the lens of systems theory. How were leadership, power

and authority present? Please use the following format: Background. What

happened? Who was involved? Analysis. Theological Reflection.

Our guest will be Dr. June Goudy who will speak on the work and role of

Supervised Practice in the Master of Divinity curriculum. We will discuss your

case studies during the second half of the class.

Assignments:

• Read and complete Discover Your Conflict Management Style by Speed Leas
• Assigned reserved reading out of Caring Enough to Confront by David

Augsberger pp. 9-60.

• Write a 1-2 page reflection paper on how conflict was handled in your family

of origin. What messages did you receive? What feelings do you attach to

conflict?

What is conflict? What’s at stake? This session will explore the dynamics of

conflict and introduce material by Speed Leas, including looking at class members’

own conflict management style. Lecture, discussion and case study opportunities

will be offered.

Assignments

• Read chapters on "Decisions" and "Discernment" in L.T. Johnson’s Decision

Making in the Early Church. (On reserve)

• Read handout: The Sharing Circle
• Read additional reserve readings as assigned.
• Write a 1 page reflection paper on the question: How good are you at avoiding

prayer in the midst of conflict?

This class will present additional ways of dealing with conflict, including: See,

Judge, Act and the Mennonite Peace Center mediation process. We will also

discuss the topics of spiritual violence and healing.

Assignments:

• Reserve readings including: Moving Your Church Through Conflict by Speed

Leas

• Read articles including: When Congregations Are Stuck Peter Steinke
• Write a 1-2 page reflection paper on the personal and professional skills

needed to deal effectively with conflict.

This class will engage in a simulation exercise by becoming a conflicted

congregation. We will work through the conflict using skills learned in

previous sessions.

Assignments:

• Reserve readings as assigned.
• Write 1-2 pages as a response to your experience with the simulation exercise.

Because of the intense feelings that emerge in conflict, we need a variety of

ways to handle our emotions. The Rev. Priscilla Dreyman of Spiral Arts will

lead us into self-expression through a variety of art mediums.

Assignments:

• Read Pastor as Spiritual Guide by Howard Rice pp. 59-169
• Write 6-8 pages on the following: What have you learned about yourself and

conflict? What are your strengths? What are your growing edges? What do you

need from God to survive and thrive in the midst of conflict?

A reflective class on what has been learned about spiritual formation, leadership

and conflict. A time of evaluation, celebration and sending forth.