Session #1, January 25

Greetings Tammie & Jason!

Welcome to the "Emergent Kingdom" which is bigger issue than just another evangelical fad. During this term we will explore the nuances and dynamics behind this movement. I am looking forward to learning with you as we dialogue on these issues. Please feel free to ask any questions, provide suggestions, and express concerns and insights that you may have that arise during this term. The goal of this course is to study and reflect on the theology and impetus for this current trend in order to conceptualize possible connections with the students' ministry context.

This blog will provide the format for our weekly postings and discussions. You are invited to make as many posts as you want to each day/week, a minimum would be your responses to each of the questions listed in the "Weekly Reflection Post." This blog is intended to be for our class only, and if you want to invite your mentor, friends, and pastor into this blog, please request permission from me prior to sending the link for this blog to your desired blog associate member.

Course Projects:1) Weekly Reflection Worksheets, are posted on this blog. They are due noon on each Thursday of our class sessions. I will be available to respond to your daily/weekly blog posts, except one week in March (3/19-23) when I am in Canada at an ATS Conference may pose a problem. Another event on the horizon is the arrival of our grandson sometime in early February??

2) Integration Paper, may be sent to me via e-mail file at: jnissley@winebrenner.edu, due by midnight April 30th.

3) Oral Exam will be completed on April 17th via a phone call at a convenient time. All assigned phone conferences will be at a convenient time and on the WTS tab as I will initiate the phone calls. You may call me anytime during the day at WTS: 1-800-992-4987.

Shalom,
Dr. John Nissley



Weekly Reflection Worksheet #1, Webber, chapters 1-8 (Two pages per worksheet would be acceptable practice. Your responses to this worksheet will be due by next Thursday, February 1 at noon. My suggestion is to post your responses as you complete reading each chapter then we can each respond during the week and view the deadline next Thursday as the goal for posting reflections on chapter #8.)

Chapters 1-2, We are collecting the data behind the paradigm shift that is happening in the culture, philosophy, theology, and church. Reflect upon the historical review on the emergence of postmodernity in the early 20th century. Describe your earliest encounter with postmodernity. [For me it was on a TV show, "Dobie Gillis". He had a friend Maynard Crebs who was a Beatnik who dressed and acted like today's PMs, he even had the triangular chin mustache. Literature, music, and philosophy began in 1930's to reflect this philosophy. My reflection is that WWI woke up a sleepy world that modernity was morally, ethically broke. More recently, Vietnam and 9-11 have also rocked the culture.]


Chapter 3, In the midst of all these lists and charts, what is your understanding of the return to Classical Christianity? What are the two core issues identified by PMs regarding Christianity? Why?


Chapters 4-7, The centrality of Christ is emphasized in these chapters. Explain your Christology and its relationship to the kingdom of God. Why is this an important PM ministry issue?


Chapter 8, Looking ahead---> How does pragmatism and individualism impact your life, ministry, theology, and congregational life?