SYLLABUS: Evangelism and Discipleship of Youth

http://www.utoronto.ca/wycliffe/youthdeg.html
Evangelism and Discipleship of Youth
Fall 2003
Dr. John H. Wilkinson
Rev. Darren DeGraaf


Course Description
Discipleship is seen as the passing on of Christ likeness. Evangelism is seen as a thoughtful, sustained, and engaging presentation of the Christian faith, in word, action and relationship, embodied in the community of the local church. This course will examine the various ways the local church has presented the Christian faith outside its doors. It will also discuss the process and implementation of discipleship. We will examine how both evangelism and discipleship can be integrated into the lifestyle of young people and the programs of the local church.
Objectives
To understand the key aspects of discipleship
To understand the process of youth discipleship.
To gain knowledge of the educational factors that makeup an effective discipleship environment.
To understand the process of salvation by faith.
To grapple with contemporary youth culture.
To examine various methods of evangelism.
To understand how both processes of evangelism and discipleship can become a part of the whole youth ministry environment.
Course Assignments
Reading Assignments: 4 books and a number of chapters will be assigned over the course of the semester. Books will be due as indicated on the Course Schedule, or the student may choose to finish the reading assignment earlier in order to accomplish the Book Reviews. 10%
Book Reviews: From the assigned reading, the students will pick one book on discipleship and one book on evangelism and do 2 book reports, including the major points, critical questions, and creative, specific applications to ministry. 8 pages each.
Discipleship Book – Due Week 5. Evangelism Book – Due Week 12 50 % (2 x 25%)
Youth Interview: The student must interview 4-6 youth (ages 14-19), who they do not know, who are not part of a youth ministry. A questionnaire will be supplied. The student will be asked to submit their interview data, and a 5 page reflection paper on the assignments in terms of evangelism and the relevance of youth ministry to youth culture. Due. Week 10 15%
Creative Teaching Presentation. Each student will present the gospel message in ten minutes or less, as if they were presenting to a group of teenagers. The message should include creative teaching methods (use of technology, music, video, computer, drama, etc. are all recommended as options). The student must submit to each member of the class a one page outline and summary of the message, including biblical texts, other background material, and if copyright material was used – proper permission for use. The class will provide written and verbal feedback of their classmate’s presentation and the grade for this assignment will be a composite of the class evaluation and the instructor’s evalution (50% class, 50% instructor). The presentations will take place weekly as per individual sign ups over the course of the semester. 15%
Personal Growth Plan: The students will be asked to provide a personal growth plan for their own spiritual development. The plan should include a rationale for spiritual development, an overview of major discipleship and evangelism components necessary in any growth plan, and a specific plan for the personal development of the individual over the next year. The Growth plan should include scriptural support. 5-8 pages. Due Week 7 20%
Reading Assignments – 10%
Book Reviews (2 x 20%) – 40%

Youth Interview – 15%
Creative Teaching Presentation – 15%
Personal Growth Plan – 20%


Assigned Reading
Cloud, Henry and Townsend, John. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals about Personal Growth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
ISBN 0-310-24486-2
Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002. ISBN 1-57683-296-1
Bowen, John P. Evangelism for “Normal” People: Good News for Those Looking for a Fresh Approach. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2002. ISBN 0-8066-4191-6
Sjorgren, Steve. Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach to Sharing the love of Jesus with Others. Ann Arbor, Servant Publications, 1993. ISBN 0-89283-832-9
Chapters From:
Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books, 1993. ISBN 0-4465-01822-X
Hybels, Bill. Courageous Leadership. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.
ISBN 0-310-24881-7
Thomas, Gary. Sacred Pathways. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. ISBN 0-310-24284-3
Course Outline:
Discipleship
Week One: Introduction and course Overview.

What is discipleship (theology of followership).

Jesus, Paul, John the Baptist.
Week Two: Framework and models of youth discipleship
Reading Due: Cloud: (How People Grow)


Week Three: The content of discipleship: our identity in Christ.

Handout: Thomas (Sacred Pathways), Hybels (Courageous Leadership)


Week Four: Pathways to connection with God: The diversity of followership


Week Five: Walking with young people through difficult times.

Reading Due: Willard: (Renovation of the Heart)

Assignment Due: Discipleship Book Review
Handout: Gardner (Multiple Intelligences)


Week Six: Learning Styles: Practical Lessons in Teaching.
Week Seven: The Role of Community in Discipleship

Evaluation: The measurement of growth.

Assignment Due: Personal Growth Plan


Evangelism
Week Eight: What must I do to be saved? A Theology of Salvation

(Paul, John, Luke).

Evangelism in the early church.


Week Nine: A culture of tribes: Understanding today’s youth culture


Week Ten: Process of Evangelism: Building Relationships.

Reading Due: Bowen: (Evangelism for “Normal” People)

Assignment Due: Youth Interviews.


Week Eleven: Apologetics (Modern and Postmodern)


Week Twelve: Methods of Youth Evangelism (Contagious Christian)
Reading Due: Sjogren: (Conspiracy of Kindness)
Assignment Due: Evangelism Book Review
Week Thirteen: Evangelism and Discipleship with youth – conclusion..
Bibliography
Aldrich, Joseph. Life-Style Evangelism. Portland Oregon, Multnomah Press, 1978.
Barna, George. Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ. Waterbrook Press, 2001.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. Simon and Schuster, 1995.
Boshers, Bo. Student Ministry for the 21st Century. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997.
Bowen, John P. Evangelism for “Normal” People: Good News for Those Looking for a Fresh Approach. Minneapolis, Augsburg Fortress, 2002.
Cloud, Henry and Townsend, John. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals about Personal Growth. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
Creasy Dean, Kenda and Foster, Ron. The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry. Upper Room, 1998.
Creasy Dean, Kenda, Chap Clark and Dave Rahn, ed. Starting Right: Thinking Theologically about Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
Demarest, Bruce A. and Hazard, David. Satisfy Your Soul: Restoring the Heart of
Christian Spirituality. NavPress, 1999.
Dunn, Richard, R. and Mark H. Senter III. Reaching a Generation for Christ. Chicago, Moody Press, 1997.
Fields, Doug. Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2002.
Fields, Doug. Purpose Driven Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.
Frazee, Randy and Willard, Dallas. The Connecting Church. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York, Basic Books, 1993.
-----------, Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York, Basic Books, 1983.
Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans Publishing, 1970.
----------. Evangelism Through the Local Chruch. London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
----------. Faith for the Nonreligious. Wheaton, Tyndale House, 1979.
Hagberg, Janet O. and Guelich, Robert A. The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. Sheffield Publishing Company. 1995.
Hybels, Bill. Courageous Leadership. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2002.
Johnson, Ronald. How Will They Hear If We Don’t Listen? Nashville, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1994.
Little, Paul. How to Give Away Your Faith. Downers Grove, IVP, 1988.
McDowell, Sean and Ray Wiley. Josh McDowell’s, Youth Ministry Handbook. Nashville,
Word Publishing, 2000.
McLaren,Brian D. A New Kind of Christian. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Inc. , 2001
----------. The Story We Find Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Inc., 2003.
McManus, Erwin Raphael. An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind. Loveland, Group Publishing Inc. 2001.
Morgenthaler, Sally. Worship Evangelism. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing, 1995.
Ogden, Greg. Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time. Downers Grove, IVP. 2003.
Overholt, L. David and James Penner. Soul Searching the Millennial Generation.
Toronto, Stoddart Publishing Co. Limited, 2002.
Posterski, Donald. True to You: Living our Faith in our Multi-minded World. Winfield, B.C., Wood Lake Books, 1995.
Rainer, Thom S. Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2001.
Rice, Wayne and Chap Clark et al. New Directions for Youth Ministry. Loveland, Group Publishing, Inc., 1998.
Richardson, Rick. Evangelism Outside the Box: New Ways to Help People Experience the
Good News. Downers Grove, IVP, 2000.
Senter III, Mark H., ed. Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church. Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
Sjorgren, Steve. Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach to Sharing the love of Jesus with Others. Ann Arbor, Servant Publications, 1993.
----------, 101 Ways to Reach Your Community. NavPress Publishing Group., 2001.
Terry, John, Mark. Evangelism, A Concise History. Nashville, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1994.
Thomas, Gary. Sacred Pathways. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2002
Thwaites, James. The Church Beyond The Congregation. Carlisle, U.K., Paternoster Press, 2000.
Wilkens, Michael. In His Image: Reflecting Christ in Everyday Life. NavPress, 1997.
------------. Following the Master: A Biblical Theology of Discipleship. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1992.
Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. San Francisco, Harper. 1998.
Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Colorado Springs, NavPress, 2002.