Current Students

Click here for pdf version: Diploma in Missional Leadership Framework

May 15, 2019

Preamble

As Christians, we are called and sent to participate in the missio Dei – the mission of God to redeem and save the world. We trust that God is active in the world, and our role is to discern the most appropriate ways to participate in the divine mission. We are to work to bring about the Kingdom of God. We bear witness to Jesus. We must listen deeply to hear what the Spirit is saying and doing in the world. We must discern the needs and equip leaders to respond creatively in new areas and ministries and to support the faithful in established communities to participate in renewal. We are committed to equipping leaders for the movement of Church renewal and missional growth.

Concepts

Mission, in a general sense, is an important undertaking as part of a bigger or higher purpose. In a Christian context, it includes a vocation or calling to go into the world to be part of what God is doing by giving witness to Christ. The Church exists for mission … the Church is not an end in itself.

Missional is both a mindset and a methodology for building the Kingdom of God.

Leadership, in this context, is having the qualities, attributes and skills to allow individuals and groups to find consolation, encouragement and inspiration, direction, purpose and resilience in the Gospel. Leaders are effective when they are Christ-centred, and when they lead from within the community rather than apart from, or above, the community, and do so by example.

Missional Leadership is about paying attention to what God is doing around us and courageously giving witness to establishing the Kingdom of God in the world – not just in the church – through “… justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 14:17) where, when and as needed.

Purpose: To help women and men, individually and in communities, to further discern their call to be missional, and to develop competencies to become Missional Leaders who will allow invite others to be attracted and committed to building the Kingdom of God in this world.

Curriculum issues

Five courses will be designed and offered as three credit hour courses. They can be counted toward degrees, as the respective degree regulations will allow. The courses will also be available for audit. The Diploma in Missional Leadership will be presented to those who complete the five designated courses as credit or audit courses.

Courses designated for the Diploma in Missional Leadership are

3570-Q Theology of Mission: Explores how our understanding of God shapes the identity and mission of the church. The course will consider the essential connection of theology, ecclesiology, mission, and evangelization. The course will examine the themes in light of the entire biblical scope of scriptures and the vocation of the people of God as call to find and respond to the needs and struggles of people everywhere.

3571-Q Discernment for Missional Leadership: Explorations in personal and communal discernment and spiritual resilience for those called to inspire others with a missional vision and to facilitate missional transformation within faith communities.

3572-Q Mission, Culture and Evangelization: Examination of cultural realities essential to effective missional work, i.e. the divine task of the Church to spread the message of the Gospel everywhere and to develop the insight to see where God is already at work in the world.  This course will draw on themes from social sciences and missional theology to explore understandings of culture and effective cross and mixed cultural engagement, including awareness of secular cultures as well as other denominations and faith traditions. Students will be provided with opportunities to discern and develop an authentic approach to shared missional evangelization in the specific ministry/ministries to which they are/may be called. Cross listed as Pastoral Studies 3400-Q.

3573-Q Competencies for Missional Leadership: Examination of relevant theories and theologies, as well as practice of practical and pastoral skills essential to leading and supporting missional communities and ministries.

3574-Q Missional Work in Rural and Urban Contexts: Exploration of practical matters to enable the formation and renewal of parishes and congregations to transition into becoming missional communities with a focus on missional outreach and ministry. The course will consider practical matters such as geography, demographics, stewardship and worship.

Further discussions will consider ways that a missional theme might be explored in other courses and areas of study.

Program Delivery

Courses will be available on-campus and by webinar. It will be important to ensure there is significant connection and involvement with fellow students to ensure adequate reflection, debate and sharing on new ideas and challenges to being missional.

Efforts will be made also, to integrate missional themes to the Diploma in Theology and Ministry Program and the Associate Program.