Name of School

Master of Arts in Transformational Urban Leadership (MATUL) Program

 

TUL530: Urban Poor Church Planting (3 units)

Urban Poor Church Leadership

Course Writer: Dr. Viv Grigg, Visiting Lecturer (Email: vivgrigg@yahoo.com)

Facilitators: Grace Nithya, Local Facilitator (Email: grace_nithya@yahoo.com)

Atty Raineer Chu, LLB, MA

Pr Mars Rodriguez

 

 

I. Course Description

The course introduces themes in the degree, utilising a story-telling theological approach. It develops the theme of the Kingdom of God as a basis for entering poor communities and developing holistic poor peoples' churches.  Entrance, proclamation, discipleship lead to practical processes of cell group, and structuring church development in theory and in practical work assignments. Development among the poor is introduced, through emergence of deacons and elders  and patterns of leadership inspired by  the Holy Spirit.

 

II. Course Rationale

The teaching component of his course will utilize a story-telling process of learning, building from the stories of lecturer, students, scripture and students to develop a theology and strategy for churchplanting  among semi-literate slum culture.  This entire course and resources are on CDRom. It will focus both on theory and design of practical outcomes.

 

This is followed by ten weeks of practicum working as, or under, a churchplanter, with one day of integration of theory and praxis at the end of the course.

 

The course is the foundational course introducing themes in the degree. It develops the theme of the Kingdom of God as a basis for practical experiences in entering poor communities and developing holistic poor peoples' churches.  Entrance models from Jesus, Paul, Hiebert, Brewster are introduced. Churchplanting models from Hesselgrave, Stefan, Grigg develop elements of proclamation, power evangelism, mass evangelism, discipleship of the poor and lead to practical processes of cell group, fellowship and structured church development in theory and in practical work assignments.

 

Church-based development among the poor is introduced, beginning with the development of deacons and elders, and patterns of leadership training based on the role of the Holy Spirit and the five leadership giftings. These are related back to sociological (Gerlach & Hine) and community organisation (Alinsky et al) models of leadership emergence.  The theology of the Kingdom of God is related to practical aspects of pastoral issues in ministering among the urban poor: cooperative economics, land rights, poverty, justice, oppression, suffering, cash flows, etc.

 

III. Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course each student will:

 

Cognitive (Head):  

á      Kingdom Theology: Have developed a theology for the many aspects of urban poor ministry based on the Kingdom of God which may include:

o   a definition of the Kingdom

o   its relationship to socio-economic-political-social discipleship

o   its relationship to growth of discipling movements and communities of faith

á      Churchplanting Processes: Understand the church where the student serves through an analysis of the Four Seasons of Growth and 80 step churchplanting process of churchplanting among the urban poor.

á      Holistic Church Growth: Understand how holistic interventions in slum schools, cooperatives, small business, ministering to AIDS/HIV and community development expand the Kingdom and relate to each of the Four Seasons of Growth.

 

Affective (Heart):

á      Personal Healing: Where past experiences in urban poor ministry have caused emotional damage, some elements of healing within the context of the class dynamics will have been initiated.

 

Practice (Hands):

á      Churchplanting Processes: Within six months have implemented action steps from the class that extend one area of expansion of a slum church.

á      Coaching: Have developed a process of team building and coaching and know the content of each module on the topics chart.

 

Critical Measurable Outcomes

530- 1.

Kingdom Theology:  present a critical analysis of the relationship of the Kingdom of God to aspects of churchplanting

530- 2.

Churchplanting Processes: Critically analyze a practical ministry of discipling/church-planting and community development activities in which the person seeking credit is serving, as basis, within six months, to have implemented action steps that extend one area of expansion of a slum church.

530- 3.

Coaching: Develop and initiate a training plan for coaching a team that includes either grass roots church planters and/or deacons/deaconesses to achieve action outcomes.

 

IV. Course Materials

Required Texts

Either Grigg, Viv, Companion to the Poor, London: Authentic, 2004, (on CD)
or Grigg, Viv  Cry of the Urban Poor, London: Authentic, 2004 . (on CD)
Glasser, Arthur, Charles van Engen & Gilliland, Dean. (2003). Announcing the Kingdom.

            Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Course readings on CD (1000 pages of articles).

 

Recommended Texts

Greenway, Roger, Discipling the City, 2nd ed, Baker, 1993, Chaps 1,7,8,12,13, 14,16,18.
Conn, Harvey, ed., Planting and Growing Urban Churches, Baker. 1997.
Carolina de Jesus, Diary of Carolina de Jesus, Mass Market, 1983.
Davey, Cyril, Saint in the Slums: Kagawa of Japan, Jersey City: Parkwest Publications, 2000

            or Axling, William, Kagawa, SCM, 1932.
Jocano, F. L. (1975). Slum As a Way of Life. Manila: New Day Publishers, Box 167, Quezon

            City 3008.
Hesselgrave, David J. (1987). Planting Churches Cross-culturally – a Guide for Home and

            Foreign Missions, Baker, Grand Rapids.

 

V. Course Calendar

 

Topics selected from within the TOPICS table on the CDRom from 12 modules listed along the top. Choices depend on experience, stories and gifting of class.

 

 

Topic

Readings

Activities

TEACHING PHASE

 

 

1

Expectations of the Course

Introductions

 


 

Cry chap 1,
Snyder, H. (1985). The Age of Jubilee. A Kingdom Manifesto: 68-76.
Myers, Bryant (1999) Walking with the Poor, New York, NY: Orbis Books, Maryknoll pp. 46-5`6

Activity 1: *Hand in report on Squatter Church Worship Service

Activity 2: Personal Assessment & Develop Timeline

2

Theory: Story of Churchplanting in the Slums

Cry Chap 1

 Activity 3: Develop a Story for Class

3

Theology: The Kingdom of God

 

 

4

Theology: Enter the Man of Peace!
Works of the Spirit of God

Cry , chaps 9,10,11

 

 

5

The Four Seasons of Growth: Poor People's Ecclesiology

Discipling Structures for Squatter Churches
Cry chap 13

Cry chap 6,7
Browse Part 1 , Schwartz, Christian A. (2003). Natural Church Development. D-25924 Emmesbull, Germany: C & P Publishing.

 

Optional

6

Theory: Sociological Analysis of Poverty in the Slums

Who are the poor of your city?

 

Browse Child of the Dark, Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus
Gunnar Myrdal, Asian Drama
de Soto, H. (1989a). Informal Housing (J. Abbott, Trans.), The Other Path (pp. 17-57). New York: Harper & Row.
Jocano, F. L. (1975). Round-the-Clock Activities. Slum as a Way of Life. Quezon City, New Day Publishers: 33-50.

Activity 4: One analysis of who are the poor in the city.  Contribute it to the integrated report of the class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

Theology: Who are the Poor in the Scriptures? Biblical Reflections on Causes and Responses to Poverty

Companion chap 3

 


8

Practice: 80 Steps in a Churchplant

Developing a Work Plan for Slum Evangelism

 

Activity 5: Develop work plan

9

Practice: Developing a Work Plan for Each Season of Growth.

Discussion of Assignment 2

Hesselgrave, D. J. (1980). Planting Churches Cross-Culturally; A Guide for Home and Foreign Missions. The Believers Congregated. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books: 269-301.

Phillips, K. (1996). Out of Ashes. The Middle Years: Christian Nurture. Los Angeles, World Impact Press: 87-94.

Activity 6: Pass in topic for major paper

Activity 7: Develop work plan for teaching at each season with topic and main scripture

10

Theory: The Nature of the Church in the Culture of Poverty

Anthropology of Squatter Churches

 

Cry 15, 16.
Lewis, Oscar (1966). "The Culture of Poverty." Scientific American, 215(4), 3-9.

 

11

Theologies of Incarnation

Prior to Class read The Story of Zachery Baumkletterer
Browse the Incarnation case studies on the CD

Activity 8: Rewrite with your spouse your version of the Lifestyles and Values of Servants (do 3 sections that are most useful  for you)

12

Practice of Incarnation
Practical Issues in Incarnation

 

Brewster (1982). Bonding and the Missionary Task. Pasadena, CA, Lingua House.

 


13

Theology: The Poor and Poverty

á       In the Message of Jesus

á       In the Church of 1st Century

Browse Julio de Santa Ana, Good News for the Poor

 

Optional 14

Relationship of Churchplanting to Marginalised

Practice: Intro to reaching Gangs, Drug Addicts and Prostitutes in the Slum Church
12 Steps

Intro to Reaching  Street Children

Eding, G. F. (1988). Drug Addiction and Prostitution, Urban Ministry in Asia (Vol. 198-207): Asia Theological Association
Patricia Green, Impact of Sexual Exploitation on Children. In Kilbourn & McDermid, Sexually Exploited Children

Activity 9: Pass in reading log after first 3 weeks and again 1 week before end of course

Activity 10: Pray through the twelve steps with your husband or wife concerning sin in your own life. 

15

Theory: Pastoring the Poor

Cry 14

 

17

Theology: Nine Principles of Kingdom Economics

Snyder, H. (1985). The Age of Jubilee. A Kingdom Manifesto: 68-76.

Pass in topic for Activity 7  with headings, and intro paragraph

 

18

Practice: Developing a Work Plan III: Teaching Content

Phillips, K. (1996). The Middle Years: Christian Nurture. Out of Ashes.  Los Angeles, World Impact Press: 87-94.

 

19

Pracitce: Pioneer Pastoring

Cry chap 14
Hesselgrave, D. J. (1980). Planting Churches Cross-Culturally;

A Guide for Home and Foreign Missions. The Believers Congregated. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books: 269-301.

Activity 11: In preparation for Friday exam, write up an outline of a strategy for churchplanting in the slums

 

20

Theory: Diaconal Growth: Dealing with Poverty
Practice: Cash Flows in an Urban Poor Churchplant

Browse William Booth, In Darkest England and the Way Out

Pass in reading log

 

Optional 21 (in Community Economic Course)

When You Have No Money: Cooperative Economics: Implications for Slum Churches

 

 

Read Kagawa, Toyohiko, Brotherhood Economics
Read Companion chap 6
Creating Jobs, New Businesses Offer Hope for Poor Families, paper by Kenneth MacHarg

Activity 12: Setting the Economic Captives Free: Survey of Economic Production of Congregation and Community

22

The Role of the Rich Church in Dealing with Poverty
Sahaara Video: Holistic Churchplanting in Mumbai

Cry 21

Activity 13: 1 Page outline of steps you can take to bring a rich church in contact with the poor.

23

Practice: Leadership for Multiplying Movements

Cry chap 17,18,19
Breen, Mike, (2002). Fivefold Ministries. In The Apostle's Notebook. Eastbourne, England.
Garrison, D. (2004). What Does the Bible Say? Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World. Midlothian, VA, WIGTake Resources: 199-219.

Activity 14: go through Breen's gift analysis


24

Theologies of Community Development

Church-Based Community Development

Practice. Class Presentations 1

Companion chap 9,10
Cry chap 20

 

25

Theology of Justice

Browse Paulo Friere,  (1986). Pedagogy of the Oppressed (M. B. Ramos, Trans.). New York: Continuum.
or
Browse Hanks, Thomas. (1984). Basic Old Testament Vocabulary of Oppression. God So Loved the Third World. Maryknoll, Orbis Books.

 

26

Practice: Development of a Plan for training a team. Discussion of Assignment 3.

 

Activity 15: Identify 5-8 people to train.

27

Practice: Development of Leaders Based on Spiritual Gifting

Cry 18

 

28

Theologies of Suffering

Browse Elsa Tamez Bible of the Oppressed

 

29

Church & Land Rights Struggles

Grigg, Viv, 2006, Biblical Reflection on Land and Land Rights, Auckland, Urban Leadership Foundation.
Companion chapter 11

 

30

Final Exam

 

 

 

31

Integration/Evaluation/Prayer

 

Activity 16: Evaluation discussion and fill in evaluation form

Activity 17: 6 month evaluation of course

PRAXIS PHASE

 

 

VI. Learning and Assessment Activities

 

NUMBER

ASSESSMENT TASK

MAXIMUM MARK

WEIGHT-ING

TUL530-1

 Kingdom Theology

 

1.1 Clearly present an analysis of the relationship of the Kingdom of God to aspects of churchplanting through diagrams and explanations that include evidence of mastery of the readings in a 2500 word outline covering one or all of the following:

á       Kingdom and church

á       Kingdom and social issues such as AIDS, slum education

á       Kingdom and economic issues such as small business, cash flows

á       Kingdom and issues of justice such as land rights, oppression, responding to violence

1.2 In a one hour exam setting give evidence of mastery of readings and the lectures in a diagram and explanation of the theme of the Kingdom of God as it relates to practical phases of growth of an urban poor discipling movement.

1.3 Provide a reading log of 800 pages from the required and recommended readings.

100 made up of

 

 

 

60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

20

30%

TUL530-2

 Churchplanting Processes

2.1 Analyze a practical ministry of discipling/church-planting and/or community development activities in which you are serving, using written or oral (audio tape recorded) or video or Power Point presentations. This to include:

á       mission goals and objectives

á       identification of the community contextual factors

á       core values

á       a biblical understanding and practical strategies for each season of growth

á       existing and their preferred leadership style at each season of growth

á       a work plan at each season of growth of the movement

á       existing or viable future community development ideas, that meet social, economic and justice needs at each season of growth

á       church governance understanding for each season of growth

2.2 Implement action steps that extend one area of expansion of a slum church.  Evaluated in a written 2 page project report.

100 made up of

 

 

 

5

5

5

20

 

10

 

20

 

5

 

 

5

 

 

35

 

40%

TUL530-3

 Developed and initiated a training plan for a team that includes grass roots church planters and/or deacons/deaconesses, summarised in a 2500 word report

3.1.    Identified 4-8 trainees. Analyzed the trainees suitability for entry into a developing a community of disciples within an urban poor community.

3.2.   Developed with the team an initial plan for each season of growth and identified roles for the team. 

3.3.   Developed an initial pattern of stories for teaching at each season of growth.

3.4.    Evidence familiarity with the manual, the two books on churchplanting among the poor, the Church planting CD (for those with computers) and where to access resources.

100 made up of

 

5

40

40

15

30%

 

VII. Selected Bibliography

Slum Realities

de Jesus, C. (1983). Diary of Carolina de Jesus: Mass Market Publishers.

Jocano, F. L. (1975). Slum As a Way of Life. Manila: New Day Publishers, Box 167, Quezon

            City 3008.

Lewis, O. (1966). "The Culture of Poverty." Scientific American, 215(4), 3-9.

 

Theology of Poverty

Cherupallikat, J. O. F. M. C. (1975). Witness Potential of Evangelical Poverty In India:

            Nouvelle Review de Science Missionaire, CH-6405 Immensee, Switzerland.

Hanks, T. (1983). God So Loved the Third World: The Biblical Vocabulary of Oppression.

            Maryknoll: Orbis.

Gutierrez, G. (1983). The Power of the Poor in History. New York: Orbis Books and

            London: SCM Press

 

Holistic Discipling Movements and Incarnational Churchplanting

Booth, W. (1890). In Darkest England and the Way Out. London: Salvation Army.

Bradbury, N. (1989). City of God? Pastoral Care in the Inner City. London: SPCK.

Craig, J. (c1996). Servants Among the Poor. Manila: OMF Publishers.

Davey, C. (2000). Saint in the Slums: Kagawa of Japan. Jersey City: Parkwest Publications.

Goudge, E. (1959). Saint Francis of Assisi: Hodder and Stoughton.

Grigg, V. (1986). SERVANTS: A Protestant Missionary Order With Vows of Simplicity and

            Non-Destitute Poverty. Auckland: Urban Leadership Foundation.

Grigg, V. (1987). Sorry, the Frontier Moved! In H. Conn (Ed.), Planting and Growing Urban Churches: From Dream to Reality. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.

Grigg, V. (1989). Squatters: The Most Responsive Unreached Bloc. Urban Mission, Volume

            6( Number 5, May 1989).

Grigg, V. (1990(84)). Companion to the Poor. Monrovia, CA: MARC.

Grigg, V. (1992a). Church of the Poor. In R. Greenway (Ed.), Discipling the City: A Comprehensive Approach to Urban Mission (pp. 159-170). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker.

Grigg, V. (1992b). Cry of the Urban Poor. Monrovia, CA: MARC.

Hembree, R. (1979). The Mark Buntain Story. Minneapolis: Bethany House publishers.

Livingstone, Greg. (1993). Planting Churches in Muslim Cities, Baker, Grand Rapids.

Van Engen, Charles, & Tiersma, Jude. (1994). God so Loves the City – Seeking a Theology

            for Urban Mission, MARC, Monrovia.

Mavrodes, G. (1976). The Salvation of Zachary Baumkletterer. The Other Side(Feb 1976).

Philipps, Keith. (1996). Out of the Ashes, World Impact, Los Angeles.

Pullinger, J. (1980). Chasing the Dragon. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

Simson, Wolfgang. Houses that Change the World. Carlisle: OM Publishing, 2001.

Snyder, Howard. Liberating the Church. Downers Grove: IVP, 1983.

Sheppard, D. (1984). Bias to tbe Poor. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Wilkerson, D. (1962). The Cross and The Switchblade: Pyramid Books.

 

Poverty & Urban Poor Ministry in the West

Cave, Dave. (1985). Jesus is Your Best Mate says Dave Cave – Evangelism in the City and

            Council Estate Cultures, Marshalls, Basingstoke.

Harrington, M. (1964). The Other America: Poverty in the United States. NY: MacMillan.

Kenrick, B. (1965). Come Out the Wilderness. London: Fontana.

Lupton, R. (1993). Return Flight: Community Development Through Reneighboring Our

Cities: FCS Urban Ministries Inc, 750 Glenwood Ave, SE, P.O. Box 17628, Atlanta, GA 30316, USA.

Magnuson, N. (1977). Salvation in the Slums: Evangelical Social Work 1865-1920. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press.

Perkins, J. (1982). With Justice for All. Ventura: Regal Books.

Perkins, J. (1995). Restoring at Risk Communities: CCDA,1909 Robinson Road, Jackson, MS

            39209, USA.


Course Calendar

 

The above topics can be laid out as 12 Modules to cover over three years – this weeks training will touch on many of these.  Each topic involves theology and action.

 

1.Introduction

 

 

Trainers

Overview

2.Urban Spirituality

3.Theological Framework

 

4.The Slum Context

5.Entrance & Evangelism

6.Discipleship & Pastoring

7.Church Growth

8.Leadership

9.Community Trans-formation

10. Advocacy

11. Mission Strategy & 12. Finale

Developing a Poor Peoples' Church

Personal Evaluation

Spirituality for Survival in the Slums

The Kingdom of God

Global movements in slums of mega-cities

Incarnation

Discipling Movements

Four Seasons of Growth

Developing Leadership Gifts & Eldership

Diaconal Development

Community Organisation

Apostolic Urban Poor Mission structures

 Introductions

 

 

Global Movements in the Slums

 The Spirit, Evangelism, and Justice

The Kingdom and the Poor

Causes of Slum Poverty

Styles of Evangelism in the Slums

Working with Non-literate people

Pastoral Care

Training of Urban Poor Pastors

 Preventive Health as a means of evangelism

Theology of land rights

Integration of  Lessons learned

Who are the poor of ...

How to Develop a Training Process

Prayer & Fasting

Contextual Theology & Story-telling Theologies

Squatter Culture and the Church

Finding the Needs:

Entrance Points

Discipling Street Children

 Financial Accounting & Budgets

Team Building

Education – vehicle for church-planting

HIV & AIDS Care

 Time of Intercession

A Theology of  Churchplanting

 

Slum Church Worship

Kingdom Economics in OT & NT

Squatter Economics

Power Encounters

Ministering to HIV/Aids victims

Cash Flows of urban poor churches

Family Survival in the Slums

Intro to Micro- Enterprise

Connecting Rich and Poor Churches

 A Vision for the Future – the Poor Wise Man

 

 

 

 

Suffering  

 

Reaching Gangs & Prostitutes

Developing a Work Plan

 

 

Leadership for Multiplying Churches

Project Design & Event Management

Kingdom & Justice

Exam & Diploma Giving