Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Janssen, Al, 2001. The Marriage Masterpiece: a bold new vision for your marriage, Wheaton, Ill, Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 1-56179-905-X Martin, Joseph M., 2003. Gods Covenant Love: Foundation for Family and Work, Jackson Miss, Belhaven University Pearcey, Nancy, 2008. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Study Guide Edition). Wheaton, Ill., Crossway Books. ISBN 1-4335-0220-8 Veith, Gene Edward, Jr., 2002. God at Work: your Christian vocation in all of life, Wheaton, Ill., Crossway Books. ISBN1-58134-403-1
July 2010
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course presents an overview of areas of opportunities and responsibilities we have each received from God, and examines how we should respond to them. While the course includes workplace, citizenship, and church, its primary focus is on the family and how family relates to our other callings. Each student will examine various vocations and roles received from God. Further, students will address issues related to stewardship of the challenges inherent in these vocations and roles and examine how a biblical worldview helps inform and shape these crucial areas of life. . Prerequisites BUS 419
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This course was designed and written by Joseph M. Martin, Professor of Christian Ministries, Belhaven University. It was revised and updated by Dr. Michael Beates.
TOPICS
Gods gift of meaningful work and the abilities to do that work Peoples responsibility to God for abilities received Peoples responsibility to God for all resources received How to discover ones callings The variety of callings each has Workplace callings Home callings Citizenship callings Family callings The Bible as love story The Bible as family book Gods establishment of covenants with his people Gods gift of marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of Kingdom Life: Family and Workplace, each student is expected to be able to: Describe how Gods covenant relationship with his people is reflected in Gods pattern for human families. Describe how Gods giving different abilities and opportunities to each one should be reflected in what career we seek. Describe how Gods giving all resources to us should be reflected in how we use those resources. Enumerate the various callings of that particular students life. Evaluate how to carry out the various callings optimally. Develop a plan of action for good stewardship of resources, abilities and opportunities, in ways that take into consideration the whole of Gods earth. Articulate ethical issues in carrying out various callings and in using everything God entrusts to us in ways that are pleasing to God. Evaluate the implications of their own worldview for their careers and relationships.
STUDENT INTRODUCTION
This course is designed as a capstone course, to pull together the issues of obedience to God and stewardship of resources as related to our life in our families and in the workplace. As such, this course serves as the final step in Belhavens worldview curriculum series of courses. To this point, through several other classes, students have been asked to consider what a worldview is and to begin to articulate this worldview as it applies to different vocational situations. This class is designed to allow the student a final time of reflection on this crucial aspect of their education at Belhaven. In this class students will once again be asked to identify their worldview, consider its implications for career and relationships; choose effective examples to express his or her understanding in spoken and written form showing a command of language, organization, coherence, grammar, and usage. The course begins with God as the creator of all things and the giver of all abilities and opportunities. That leads to the position that we are responsible to God for the way we use our time, talents, and treasures. The course is also based on the conviction that God is love. That means that God is relational, since love is always expressed in relationships. First, God lives in the intimacy of mutual love among Father, Son and Holy Spirit one God, never separated, yet in three distinct persons. Second, God establishes close personal relationship with those created in his image. Humans were created for that intimate fellowship with God, and will always feel empty until that fellowship is restored. As St. Augustine commented, we were created for God, and our hearts will always be restless until we find our rest in him. Third, since we were created in the image of God, people should live in loving relationship with each other.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Individual assignments: Two tests on readings and faculty members presentations (classes two and four) 25% Vocation inventory and personality profile (due class three) 25% Individual worldview integration paper and oral report (due class five) 30% 80% Project team: Team oral report on vocations (class two) 10% Team oral report on biblical covenant of marriage (class four) 10% 20%
Sacrifices in Vocation The Purposes of Vocation 5. The project team presentation, due in class four, is a 10-15 minute depiction of one of the examples of how the Bible shows the values and difficulties of marriage. Each presentation will deal with a passage of the Bible. The presentation may be dramatized, or explained, or taught, as is most appropriate to that passage. Insights from The Marriage Masterpiece may or may not be helpful for this assignment. The passages and topics are as follows (select from among the topics depending on the number of project teams): Adam and Eve in the perfection of creation, before sin entered the world, Genesis 12. Isaac and Rebekah, Genesis 24-35 Hosea and Gomer, as a picture of God and Israel, Hosea. Solomon: Song of Songs, Proverbs, 1 Kings 11. The Christian Family: Ephesians 5:15-6:9. Priscilla and Aquila: Acts 18-19, Romans 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19. The church as the bride of Christ: Ephesians 5:15-33, Revelation 19-21.
GRADING SCALE A = 94-100 A- = 90-93 B+ = 87-89 B = 83-86 B- = 80-82 C+ = 77-79 C = 73-76 C- = 70-72 D+ = 67-69 D = 63-66 D- = 60-62 F = Below 60
MATERIALS INVENTORY
The following materials are required for WVC 401 Kingdom Life: Family and Workplace: Janssen, Al, 2001. The Marriage Masterpiece: a bold new vision for your marriage, Wheaton, Ill, Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN 1-56179-905-X Martin, Joseph M., 2003. Gods Covenant Love: Foundation for Family and Work, Jackson Miss, Belhaven University Pearcey, Nancy, 2008. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Study Guide Edition). Wheaton, Ill., Crossway Books. ISBN 1-4335-0220-8 Veith, Gene Edward, Jr., 2002. God at Work: your Christian vocation in all of life, Wheaton, Ill., Crossway Books. ISBN1-58134-403-1
CLASS ONE
Call it the greatest good (summum bonum), the ultimate end, the meaning of life, or whatever you choose. But finding and fulfilling the purpose of our lives comes up in myriad ways and in all the seasons of our lives. Os Guinness, The Call, p. 2
OBJECTIVES
After completing this class, the student will be able to: 1. Articulate the difference between human decisions about work and vocations given by God. 2. Explain Gods purposes in calling and gifting people for certain activities. 3. Describe how seeing work as vocation makes a difference in how people carry out their careers. 4. Describe the role of people in carrying out Gods designs in the world. 5. Articulate how identifying underlying worldview concepts is crucial to calling and vocational satisfaction.
PROJECT TEAM
No team meeting the first week.
CLASS TWO
Community has fallen on hard times in the modern world. First modern people live with a greatly weakened sense of community compared to traditional people. Second, modern people are prone to a recurring bias against all institutions, especially large institutions. Os Guinness, The Call, pp. 98-99.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this class, the student will be able to: 1. Describe ways in which we can be responsible citizens. 2. Articulate the way human authorities are related to God. 3. Enumerate ways in which we might please or displease God in the exercise of our citizenship. 4. Describe the importance of the church in Gods plan for our lives. 5. Identify and discuss some of the ethical issues related to our various callings. 6. Identify and discuss some of the sacrifices and/or suffering related to our various callings.
PROJECT TEAM
1. Discuss with each other what you have learned about: a. The difference between vocation and employment. b. The various vocations of each project team member, and the issues related to carrying them out in ways pleasing to God. c. Help each one may need in carrying out a difficult vocation. d. Practical ways to coordinate the many vocations each one has.
2. Work together on preparing the 10-15 minute presentation on the topic your project team was assigned for this week. The topics are developed by Veith in the textbook, but you should not limit your presentation to a review of what he has done. Take the central ideas you want to emphasize, and develop them with illustrations, dramatization, application, or other means, with a view to maximizing the impact of these ideas on your classmates. Include considerations of the implications of ones worldview in your work. 3. Review together the materials read, and those presented in class, to help each other be prepared for the test this week.
CLASS THREE
The notion of calling is vital to the modern search for a basis for moral responsibility and to an understanding of ethics itself. Guinness, The Call, p. 90.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this class, the student will be able to: 1. Describe the ceremony and meaning of a biblical covenant, and demonstrate its relevance to our relationship with God and with each other. 2. Trace the idea of marriage covenant through various Bible passages. 3. Demonstrate how family and workplace relationships are similar to and different from each other.
PROJECT TEAM
1. Review together the main ideas about the marriage covenant, as seen through the Bible passages on covenants and the textbook chapters for this week. 2. What are the main elements of biblical covenants? 3. How are these elements expressed in the marriage relationship? 4. Discuss together the Points to Ponder, Contrasting Pictures, and Reflections on the Masterpiece, as printed on pp. 220-224 in The Marriage Masterpiece. 5. Share with each other insights gained from doing the individual personality profiles. Discuss ways to address issues and difficulties related to finding the best workplace to utilize ones gifts and abilities.
6. Begin preparing the group report on the topic about marriage as depicted in a Bible passage. Be sure to include everyone in the preparation and the presentation of the report. Focus on making the report both accurate and interesting.
CLASS FOUR
The way of agape says, By all means love, by all means desire, but think carefully about what you love and what you desire. Those who follow eros are not wrong to desire happiness but wrong to think that happiness is to be found where they seek it. Guinness, The Call, p. 13.
OBJECTIVES
After completing this class, the students will be able to: 1. Discuss what God expects of people created in his image and likeness. 2. Describe how God created family and work to draw people together in ways that reflect the unity between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3. Demonstrate that God equips people for the work he gives them to do. 4. Demonstrate from the Bible that God passionately desires a close relationship with those created in his image. 5. Describe how family relationships should reflect Gods relationship with his people. 6. Demonstrate how our worldview assumptions profoundly affect our understanding of the dignity of people and the way we relate to one another.
15. What attitude should employers have towards their employees? 16. Whom should employers imitate? 17. What limitations are placed on personnel administration by this passage? 18. In what ways do instructions to employees and employers illustrate the principle of mutual submission commanded in v. 21? 19. What would your workplace be like if people there obeyed this teaching? 20. What can you do to make a difference in your workplace? 21. Read chapters 8-13 of The Marriage Masterpiece, observing how the author develops his theme that marriage is patterned after Gods marriage to his people. 22. Read chapter 10 of Total Truth, and take note of its main points. 23. Finalize preparations for the test on the readings and class presentations for weeks three and four. 24. Continue to write the worldview paper, being careful not to leave too much of its completion for the final week.
PROJECT TEAMS
1. Review the Bible passages from Genesis and Ephesians, discussing together the main ideas discovered in reading these passages. 2. Review chapters 8-13 of The Marriage Masterpiece, discussing the topics on pp. 224-227 related to these chapters. 3. Discuss with each other your integration paper topics, to get insights from each other as to how to write the papers, and how to best do the oral presentations. 4. Finalize preparations for the team presentation to be given in class four.
CLASS FIVE
Perhaps you are frustrated by the gap that still remains between your vision and your accomplishment. Or you may be depressed by pages of your life that are blotched with compromises, failures, betrayals, and sin. You have had your say. Others may have had their say. But make no judgments and draw no conclusions until the scaffolding of history is stripped away and you see what it means for God to have had his say and made you what you are called to be. Guinness, The Call, p. 246.
OBJECTIVES
After this class, the student should be able to: 1. Express in written and oral form how Christian faith influences how we see our lives in family and workplace. 2. Describe ethical issues related to their particular job situation and give a coherent and biblical perspective for these ethical challenges.
PROJECT TEAM
1. Discuss the questions and topics on pp. 227-232 of The Marriage Masterpiece, giving special attention to the Bible passages mentioned. 2. Review the oral presentations of each of the members of the project team, helping each other prepare for excellent presentations. 3. Discuss ways to improve this module and the course. 4. Discuss the Christian Worldview Assignment with your project team.
Learning Outcomes Student learning competencies to be fulfilled in the Adult Studies worldview curriculum through dedicated work addressing the four goals A D above, are listed below. Students will: A. Recognize They Have a Personal Worldview (WVC301) Students will demonstrate general knowledge of worldview essentials Students will have specific recognition of their personal worldview Students will show evidence of how their worldview affects their life choices Articulate Essential Aspects of the Christian Worldview (WVC 301 and worldview assignments in each course) Students will demonstrate the ability to clearly articulate essential aspects of the Christian worldview through pre- and post-tests in WVC 301. Articulate How Their Own Worldview is the Same As, Similar to, or Different from Essential Aspects of the Biblical Worldview (WVC 301 and subsequent assessment of worldview papers assigned in BUS412, BUS419, BIB360 and SOC370) Students will compare and contrast the biblical worldview with their own about the nature of God as the source of everything else Students will compare and contrast the biblical worldview about the nature of the world with their own worldviews Students will compare and contrast the biblical worldview about the nature of human beings with their own worldviews Students will compare and contrast the biblical worldview about the source of the problem of humanity with their own worldviews Evaluate the Implications of their Own Worldview for Their Careers and Relationships (preparatory assessments through worldview papers assigned in BUS412, BUS419, BIB360 and SOC370 culminating in WVC401) Students identify their worldview Students demonstrate understanding of the implications of their worldview for their careers and relationships Students choose effective examples to express this understanding Students write at an acceptable level, showing a command of the English language, organization, coherence, grammar, and usage
B.
C.
D.
The faculty member teaching each of the courses central to the Adult Studies worldview curriculum (WVC301, BUS412, BUS419, BIB360, SOC370, and WVC401) must be well versed in Christian worldview and be prepared to discuss with the students the weekly Bible verses that apply and the related worldview questions. Since the worldview curriculum is central to the mission of Belhaven, appropriate emphasis is required. Assessment and Evaluation For each course in the Adult Studies worldview curriculum, the student paper is to be evaluated according to the Scoring Rubric on the next page. Please note the importance placed on effective examples illustrating an understanding of worldview applications to the students lives and careers.
APPENDIX
Worldview Discovery Goals Course Progression in Major
Levels: GOAL A: Recognize Personal WV
STAGE ONE: CLARIFY RECOGNITION OF PERSONAL WORLDVIEW
GOAL C: Compare/Contrast
STAGE ONE: COMPARE/CONTRAST PERSONAL WORLDVIEW WITH BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
Score
BIB360 WV PAPER #2
BUS419 WV PAPER #3
SOC370 WV PAPER #3
Each numbered Worldview Discovery paper is to be submitted by the student to the instructor and electronically to the worldview office using the specific transmittal instructions detailed in each course module. The instructor for WVC301 will submit Pre-Post test results electronically to assessment@belhaven.edu.