MS 508 EVANGELISM SYLLABUS REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CHARLOTTE SPRING 2009 Rod Culbertson, Jr. Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology [email protected] FOR MS508: EVANGELISM REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - CHARLOTTE SPRING 2009 ROD CULBERTSON, JR. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PRACTICAL THEOLOGY COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will train students to be thoughtful and passionate evangelists and to understand and use biblical principles and methods of church outreach. Emphasis is placed on having a deep desire to reach the lost for Christ. Personal, relational and corporate (organic) evangelism and motivating the laity for ministry will be considered. COURSE OBJECTIVES: COGNITIVE (KNOW/UNDERSTAND): 1. The student will be able to present a full explanation of the gospel message, including an introduction, an organized outline of gospel content, attendant biblical references and illustrations, a conclusion and a follow-up strategy. 2. The student will be exposed to various models of church evangelism. 3. The student will be learn how to present his personal testimony and to help others do the same. 4. The student will learn how to build bridges to non-Christians as a means to proclaiming the gospel. 5. The student will learn how to handle objections and the people who make them. 6. The student will learn the importance of prayer in any evangelistic endeavor. 7. The student will be able to diagnose some of the cultural barriers that make the gospel presentation difficult today and give answers as to how to overcome these barriers. AFFECTIVE (FEEL/MOTIVATION): 1. The student will gain a greater motivation and compassion for reaching the lost. 2. The student will gain a deeper desire to maintain a God-centered view and practice of evangelism. 3. The student will gain a deeper conviction that the local church body is God’s primary means of evangelism. 4. The student will grow in personal confidence and courage for sharing the gospel. 5. The student will become more sensitive to the needs of the surrounding culture and the people in his/her world. 6. The student will be compelled to care and pray for the lost, the endangered and the unchurched. VOLITIONAL (DO/COMPETENCIES): 1. The student will conduct an interview with either his/her pastor and reflect upon how he or she will do evangelism in his/her church or ministry. 2. The student will be able to write out or verbalize a gospel presentation that will enable him or her to effectively present the gospel. The student will also be able to train others in how to present the gospel. 3. The student will conduct an interview with an unbeliever in order to understand the worldviews and the thinking of the lost and un-churched. 4. The student will make an effort to be involved in some facet of evangelism during the semester. 5. The student will be enabled to be a more effective personal evangelist, while also able to develop a plan for corporate evangelism through the local church.3REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: (987 pages) 1. Packer, J. I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, 1961, InterVarsity Press, 126 pp. A solid defense on why Christians who believe in God’s sovereignty ought to have greater motives to evangelize than whose who do not hold to Reformed doctrine. 2. Metzger, Will. Tell The Truth, 1981, InterVarsity Press, 259 pp. A focus on gospel content with an emphasis on God-centered evangelism and communication of the whole gospel, i.e., God’s holiness and sovereignty, as well as His love. 3. Miller, C. John. A Faith Worth Sharing, 1999, P&R Publishing, 133 pp. An account of one man’s personal growth in evangelism, as he reflects upon encounters of various types throughout his life. An inspiration for the aspiring evangelist. On Reserve (required reading): Kennedy, D. James. Evangelism Explosion, 1970, Tyndale (Fourth Edition). An introduction to a method of programmatic church “follow-up” evangelism, which is probably the most effective approach of its type. Read Chapters 3 of Evangelism Explosion (Sharing Good News), 12 (Handling Objections) and 13 (Adding Illustrations). Total pages: 69 pp. OTHER READING: Choose from any of the books listed below and read at least 400 total pages. Multiple texts may be read. On April 7, 3 weeks after the mid-semester Reading Week, you will be asked to turn in your list of the book(s) and pages that you have read. NOTE: If you have already read all or some of the above REQUIRED textbooks, then compensate for the page requirements with the list below or with other books approved by the professor. 1. Aldrich, Joe. Lifestyle Evangelism, 1981, Multnomah Press, 205 pp. The classic text on the importance and methodology of relational evangelism. 2. Barrs, Jerram. The Heart of Evangelism, 1999, Presbyterian and Reformed, 220 pp. A philosophy of relational evangelism from a Reformed perspective. 3. Beeke, Joel R. Puritan Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, 1999, Reformation Heritage Books, 52 pp. A brief look at the methods, message and principles of Puritan evangelism. 4. Bonar, Horatius. Words to Winners of Souls, 1979, Baker, 76 pp. A classic work, soul searching in nature, and lending itself to passion for and courage in reaching others with the gospel.4 5. Greenway, Roger S. The Pastor Evangelist, 1987, P&R Publishing, 200 pp. A variety of perspectives regarding pastoral leadership in evangelism with a focus on doing evangelism through the local church. Written by various authors and pastors in the Reformed tradition. 6. Hunter George G., III. The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West...Again, Abingdon Press, 2000. An alternative approach to modern styles of evangelism based on historical precedent and practices from the Celtic era. 7. Hybels, Bill and Mittelberg, Mark. Becoming a Contagious Christian, 1994, Zondervan, 205 pp. Written from a non-Reformed perspective, this book, nevertheless, is helpful in thinking through relational evangelism and includes lots of ideas. 8. Kennedy, D. James. Evangelism Explosion, 1970, Tyndale (Fourth Edition). An introduction to a method of programmatic church “follow-up” evangelism, which is probably the most effective approach of its type. 9. Larsen, David L. The Evangelism Mandate. 1992, Crossway Books, 174 pp. Although he takes a middle-of-the-road perspective theologically, Larsen wrestles with some great