Faith and Knowledge

Spiritual Life_Relationship with Self; Practice – Self-examination

[Nouwen, Ch.1-3]


The danger of final solution
“Friendship and love cannot develop in the form of an anxious clinging to each other.”
“The desire for ‘final solutions’ often forms the basis for the destructive….

The solitude of heart
“to live a spiritual life we must first find the courage to enter into the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude.”
“a man or woman who has developed this solitude of heart is no longer pulled apart by the most divergent stimuli of the surrounding world but is….

A creative response
- not reaction but response
- Positive understanding of unexpected interruptions
- Compassion
- Healing
- Solitude _ compassionate solidarity

Who am I?
- A false sense of self; self-rejecting
- Vacillating between false self and true self
- Self-identity should not be based on what one accomplishes or on what others thing.
- True self; self-acceptance as a beloved son or daughter of God


Examen(Examination)
Matthew 7:1-5
1. "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 
2. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 
3. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 
4. How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 
5. You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 


Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion
- Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of G and of ourselves.
- -Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of G.
- - Without ….



Practice: The Awareness Examen
-The Awareness Examen helps us look for the traces of G’s actions in our daily life. It is usually done in the evening looking back over the day, but you may also use it to pray about meaningful period of time (such as a week or a year), or discrete event ()such as a meeting or a class). Allow between five and 15M for this ….

- Give thanks for all G’s gifts and benefits 
-  Ask for light
-  Review the day: thoughts, words, deeds, desires, consolations, desolations
When did I listen to your voice today?
When did I resist listening to you today?
- Express gratitude, sorrow, and purpose of amendment 
- Ask for the graces you desire for tomorrow

Textual Criticism

Textual Criticism tries to identify the original text of the Bible (Lower Criticism).

Textual criticism is the discipline that requires the exegete to know not only the languages, but all the  information about the manuscripts and the versions. 



A. the Hebrew Manuscripts

I. 1900-300 B.C. Scroll and Leather 
II. 300 B.C. - 135 A.D. Greek LXX(Septuagint) - the 
III. 135 A.D. -1000 A.D.  

/ BHS is based on leningrad codex, Kittel
/ BHQ - Biblia Hebraica Qiunta,




- the earliest Hebrew text -400 b.c.
- The standard Hebrew text -70 A.D.
- The Dead sea Scrolls - 200 B.C.
- The Masoretic Text(MT) -900 A.D.(textus receptus)
- The Samaritan Pentateuch(SP)




B. The Ancient Versions
The LXX- translated between 295-132 bc
Receptus 

The Aramaic Targums - Aramaic translations of certain books or larger sections of the OT 
- Targum Onqelos - the official Targum of the Pentateuch
- Targum Jonathan - the prophets minus Daniel and the Minor Prophets

The Old Latin and the Vulgate - the Old is probably a Jewish translation based on the LXX.
= the Vulgate was translated by Jerome from the Hebrew text. 

Moral and Faith Development in Christian Education

Interpret the situation

Analyze other one's situation? Not myself? 


Moral Development 


Social Learning Theories of Moral Development
Development of Prosocial behavior
Imitation and Modeling


Cognitive Developmental Theories of Moral Development
 Piaget's Moral Judgment
 1) the rules of the game
 2) Moral realism
 3) the idea of justice

Heteronomous rules


Kohlberg's Moral Development
- Kohlberg: he changes Piaget's conception of moral growth. 

*Level 1) Preconventional Morality(Ages 4-10)
Stage 1 - Concern with obedience and punishment
Stage 2 - Concern with satisfying needs

*Level 2) Conventional Morality(Ages 10-13)
Stage 3 - Desire for "good boy" or "good girl" image
Stage 4- Concern for law and order, doing ones' duty, and showing respect

*Level 3) Postconventional Morality(Ages 13 to young adult)
Stage 5- concern for the legitimate rights of the individual
Stage 6- concern for ethical principles
Stage 7- Agape? 


Heinz Dilema

Other cognitive developmental theories
Stage 0 : Egocentric perspective-taking 
Stage 1 : Subjective perspective-taking
Stage 2 : reciprocal perspective-taking
Stage 3 : Mutual perspective-taking
Stage 4 : Sociental-symbolic perspective-taking



Early chlidhood(B-5) - Commitment of Love Jesus
Later Childhood(6-11) - Commitment of Life to Jesus Christ
Adolescence(12-16) - Commitment to the basic Tenets of the Christian faith of the Christian Heritige
Early Adulthood - Commitment to live the faith
Middle adulthood - Commitment to deeper the faith
Later adulthood - Commitment to the eternal




Type of S.F.
Positive: progressing S.F.
Negative : 
1) Arrested   
2) Regressed 
3) Unaddressed (1) delay acceptance (2) Never heard

Compressed
1) Commitment to the present - late salvation
2) Commitment from the present - Anticipated death(or early death)

[5 Characteristics of developmental thought] 

1. A ground plan

2. Development is from simple to complex

3. Development is invariable

4. Development results as a person is involved with the environment

5. Development goal-oriented = maturity





Problem with developmental thought

Content vs. structure

• Omnipotence(almighty)
• P210, Ockham uses two important terms 1) the absolute power of God(potentia absoluta), 2) ordained power of God(potentia ordinata)
• Creation is the will of God. (decide to create)
• Redemption / Incarnation on the cross, Phil ch2. self-limitation
• Love always create more love ? / in order to relationship
• Creation is not just making thing but is for relationship between Creator and creature….(freedom to love, freedom to reconcile…….)
• creation is the expression of God's nature.
• God's action in the world.
• Always God is provider. Sovereignty of God

• Through OT, many reference about creation ….    Jer. 50:1
• God as the Creator and the redeemer(not separate in the Bible)

• Ex nihilo / Gen ch.1  1) God said … "let there be…..." 2) Day (Time frame)
• Creation  - Chaos and order / "creation as ordering"
• Nature is not divine, human beings not divine.

Self-Counseling Case Report



1.Main Problem

Describe your current life difficulties and sufferings as specific as possible.



2.The Counseling Theory & Critiques

Explain the basic concept of the counseling theory that you apply to resolve your problem and make some critiques according to Christian viewpoint.



3.Analysis of the problem

According to the explanation above, analyze your main problem.

1)    The theory you choose says……

2)    Christian way of understanding is…



4.Self-Intervention Plan or Recommendation for Development

Make some self-intervention plan for yourself.

1)    Cognitive Area

2)    Emotional Area

3)    Behavioral Area

4)    Relationship Area (with God & People)

Counseling Skill List




1. Active Listening
2. Self-Disclosure
3. Probing(Questioning)
  Open/ Closed
  Miracle/ Scaling


4. Suggestions &  Recommendation
5. Empowerment &  Compliment
6. Normalization


7. Empathy
8. Clarification
9. Paraphrasing


10.Confrontation
11.Interpretation
12.Summarization


13.Structuring

 Church Planting & Development


I. Course Description
A study of primary theories for church growth and development, including biblical principles, church growth theories, and house church movement, church planting movement and natural church development movement. Some case studies of prominent church growth phenomena will be researched.

 II. Course Objective
1. To aid the students to understand the nature and purpose of the church; to lay the foundations of church planting, growth, and development biblically, theologically, historically, culturally, and missionally.
2. To help the students learn the principles of church planting, growth, and development; to implement those principles to make a culturally relevant church in diverse cultural settings without losing the core of being the church.
3. To familiarize the students with the major theories of church planting, growth, and development; to appraise their relative strengths and weaknesses; to expose the students to the actual/virtual sites and some case studies in contemporary trends.
4. To encourage the students to work on their own church proposals as potential church planters; not to clone others but to create their authentic ministry; to incorporate what they learned into their current ministries and future plans.

- Required Books
Malphurs, Aubrey. Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century. Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992, 1998.
McIntosh, Gary L., ed. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: 5 Views. [contributors: Elmer Towns et al.] Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Platt, David. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Colorado Spring, CO: Multnomah, 2010.


Preparation for Church Planting
1. Introduction
Foundations of Church Planting

2. Biblical-Theological Foundations
3. Traditional-Historical Foundations
4. Cultural-Missional Foundations
      Reading Discussion / Radical (Interaction Paper)
Theories, Trends, and Models of Church Planting
5. Church Growth Movement

6. Natural Church Development

7. House Church/Cell Church Movement

8. Seeker-Sensitive/Purpose-Driven Church Movement
9. Missional Church Movement
10. The Conception Stage
11. The Development Stage
12. The Birth Stage
13. The Growth Stage

14. The Maturity Stage

15. The Reproduction Stage



BIBLIOGRAPHY
Recommended Lists (provisional)
Van Engen, Charles. God’s Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.

Guder, Darrell L. The Continuing Conversion of the Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
McGavran, Donald A. Understanding Church Growth. Third Edition. Revised and Edited by C. Peter Wagner. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990.
Wagner, C. Peter. Church Planting for a Greater Harvest. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990.
Schwarz, Christian A. Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development Can Transform Theological Thinking. Carol Stream, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1999.

Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2000.
Conn, Harvie M., ed. Planting and Growing Urban Churches: from Dream to Reality. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997.
Pritchard, G. A. Willow Creek Seeker Services: Evaluating a New Way of Doing Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.
Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Church: Growth without Compromising Your Message & Mission. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Gibbs, Eddie. Churchnext: Quantum changes in how we do ministry. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Yancey, George A. One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches: InterVarsity Press, 2003. 
Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for new generations. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Logan, Robert E., and Steven L. Ogne. The Church Planter’s Toolkit: A Self-Study Resource Kit. ChurchSmart Resources, 1991.